Gar-Field High School Students Join Statewide Walk Out Advocating For Abortion Rights

WOODBRIDGE, VA — Hundreds of students walked out of Gar-Field High School on Monday morning. Students chanting "My body, my choice" led the protest in support of abortion rights.

The protest at the school's driver education parking lot in Woodbridge was part of a Statewide Student Day of Action for Abortion Access organized by Generation Ratify Virginia, a youth-led organization advocating for abortion rights.

"After the draft majority opinion was released, there was a collective feeling among Generation Ratify Virginia student leaders that direct action was necessary as our futures were on the line," said Abby Garber, the group's state director.

The leaked decision, which was written by Justice Samuel Alito and first reported by Politico, would strike down Roe v. Wade. The decision would likely lead to abortion bans in 26 states, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights policy group.

In an Instagram post last Wednesday, Generation Ratify Virginia invited students were who were troubled by the leaked Supreme Court decision to take part in Monday's demonstration.

"Individual students from schools across the Commonwealth reached out to us and we have aided them in planning their walkout and from there, we've had 45 high schools join us," said Garber, who is a 16-year-old junior at Eastern Mennonite High School in Harrisonburg.

Related: High School Students In Fairfax Join Walk Out Advocating For Abortion Rights

Aubrey Venteicher-Shulman is a senior at Gar-Field High School. On Monday morning, she took an International Baccalaureate Higher Level Math exam before leading the walk-out.

Venteicher-Shulman, who uses "she" and "they" pronouns, estimated that more than 200 students participated in the walk-out at Gar-Field.

At 11 a.m., dozens of students began flooding out of the school's auxiliary gym. Dozens more followed minutes later.

By 11:15 a.m., the driver's education parking lot hosted hundreds of students. School security and administrators were also on-hand to ensure the safety of the students.

"We don't want to be the post-Roe generation," Venteicher-Shulman told Patch after the protest. "Our grandparents fought for Roe v. Wade to be passed, so we want to make sure that is still the law of the land."

Students of all genders participated in the walk-out. Venteicher-Shulman noted that anti-abortion legislation doesn't only affect women; she said that transgender men and non-binary people can also be affected by legislation.

Many students at the protest held signs with messages like "Abortion is healthcare," "Bans off my body," and "Gen Z for reproductive rights."

Photo by KC Claure.

Venteicher-Shulman said they hope the walk-out brings more attention to the impact that anti-abortion efforts have on the younger generation.

"We want people talking with or e-mailing their representatives to ratify the Equal Rights amendment," Venteicher-Shulman said. She also said she hopes the protest can encourage people to donate to abortion funds and volunteer at clinics.

Related: Abortion To Remain Legal In VA If Roe V. Wade Overturned

Venteicher-Shulman said they hoped that Monday's protests across the state can inspire broad change.

"I hope that as a young person, I will have as many rights as a gun in America," they told Patch. "I feel like right now we don't, and that's really upsetting."

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