West Chester Students Plan Walkout In Call For Stricter Gun Laws

WEST CHESTER, PA — West Chester high school students are planning a walkout in March to protest recent gun violence in schools and to call for stricter laws, and the school district is trying to figure out how to respond.

Student organizers have put together events at both Bayard Rustin and Henderson High Schools. More than 150 students have RSVP'd to the Henderson event, while somewhere between 200 and 300 are currently expected at the Rustin walkout. The events, set to coordinate with the National School Walkout day on March 14, could grow as their social media campaigns gain traction.

"I will be completely honest with you," said Shriya Roberson, one of the leading student organizers at Rustin. "The security at our school is not very strong, and I do not feel safe there."

Hundreds of similar walkouts have either taken place or been planned in the wake of the most recent massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. All told, 17 students, teachers, and coaches were killed and numerous people were injured in the Valentine's Day incident.

"As future voters we are ready to fight this fight until changes are made," said Taylor Turner, a student organizer at Henderson. Turner said the safety situation at Henderson was "good" but that change was needed on a broader scale.

The national campaign does not point to specific legislation, characterizing their stance only as "meaningful federal gun reform," but does demand "more than tweets of thoughts and prayers" as a response.

Turner emphasized that the walkout should not be a partisan affair.

"I want to make it clear that this is not a Democrat/Republican issue but an issue of safety and precaution," Turner said. "Our currently polarized political system makes it to seem this way, but we should all be able to come together and fix issues that are directly leading to mass murder."

The walkouts at Rustin and Henderson will be at 10 a.m. on March 14, and will last for 17 minutes, to honor the 17 victims of the Florida shooting. There's no confirmation yet if a similar event will be held at the district's third high school, East.

Jim Scanlon, Superintendent of the West Chester School District, said that the district was "struggling to keep up and respond" to the issue at hand.

"There are a number of logistical questions that we are sorting through," he said. "We’ll be meeting with student leaders, and we’re talking with other educators across our area as we all collaborate about the best way to give our students a voice on such a critical issue but also provide a safe environment. That is our duty and responsibility."

Students said they do not yet know if teachers will be participating in the walkout, but they hope for and welcome their support.

While the district figures out its precise role and stance regarding the events, Scanlon did confirm two elements on Monday: students will not be disciplined for participating in the walkout, and parents will not be allowed to participate in the event. The high school campuses will be locked down for the duration of the walkout.

"This is not what kids should have to worry about," Roberson added. "And the fact that there are kids concerned about it means things need to be changed."

AP Photo/Evan Vucci