Council Rock To Discipline Students Who Walk Out Wednesday

Council Rock students who walk out of school on Wednesday will now face "disciplinary consequences," the superintendent said in an email to the school community on Tuesday.

The sentiment seems to veer from earlier communication distributed by Superintendent Robert Fraser, who last month said in a letter to parents that Council Rock School District "respects the rights of our students to peacefully assemble, we will permit any student who wishes to participate in this organized event to do so."

Fraser, in his most recent communication, said the district will accommodate students who wish to partake in a "non-political event" and invites students to engage in a "class walkout — not a school walkout."

The disciplinary consequences will align with grade span and the nature of infraction, said Fraser.

The change in attitude towards the event is driven by safety concerns, school officials say.

"District efforts concerning tomorrow have evolved for the sole purpose of safety. All CRSD schools will have safe interior spaces available for students who wish to participate accordingly at the scheduled time," district spokeswoman Susan O'Grady wrote in an email to Patch.

Across the country, walkout events are being held as a call for stricter gun laws following the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, organizers say.

As described on the main event page, the National School Walkout will be held for 17 minutes Wednesday morning to "protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods." Organizers say students and allies are holding the national school walkout to "demand Congress pass legislation to keep us safe from gun violence at our schools."

However, Fraser said, Council Rock principals have been reminding students that "tomorrow is a time for remembering lives lost on February 14 and/or non-political discussion around school safety. Today, both of our high school principals made all-school announcements, via the loudspeaker, clearly communicating that walking out of school is prohibited and will result in disciplinary action," Tuesday's letter said.

"It is my hope that students who wish to participate tomorrow do so inside of school in a non-political fashion. I ask parents to please reiterate this evening and in the morning that the district is not permitting a school walkout," the superintendent's letter said.

AP Photo/Evan Vucci