Schools

Student Walkouts Planned Friday On 19th Anniversary Of Columbine

Students at schools around Puget Sound will stage a walkout at 10 a.m., part of a nationwide protest of gun violence.

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SEATTLE, WA - Students at dozens of schools around Puget Sound will participate in walk-outs Friday morning in protest of gun violence. The walkouts coincide with the 19th anniversary of the massacre at Columbine High School, and are parts of hundreds planned around the country.

This will be the second mass walkout organized by students since the February gun massacre in Parkland, Fla. Students around Puget Sound and across the nation walked out of class on March 14. During that walkout, many students chose to memorialize the 17 shooting victims at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Friday's walkouts, which happen at 10 a.m., will focus more squarely on protesting gun violence. Specifically, outrage that federal elected officials have taken no action to stop gun violence since the Parkland shooting - and since Columbine.

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"The National Student Walkout is a nationwide protest of our leaders’ failure to pass laws that protect us from gun violence. Mass shootings happen far too frequently in America, and we as a nation have become numb to seeing the news. After each one, the same cycle takes place: the media spend less than a week on the story, politicians offer their 'thoughts and prayers,' and nothing ever changes," the school walkout organizing website says.

View of damage to the west entryway to Columbine High School where teen-age gunmen Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold entered the school April 20, 1999 in Littleton, CO. Flags mark points where evidence such as bullet casings were found and the photographs of the incident were released in a voluminous CD-ROM report May 15, 2000. (Photo Courtesy of Jefferson County Sheriff via Getty Images)
A casket carrying the body of shooting victim Jessica Rekos, 6, is brought out after her funeral at the St. Rose of Lima Catholic church on December 18, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut. Funeral services were held at the church for both Jessica and James Mattioli, 6, Tuesday, four days after 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
A program is seen from the funeral of Alyssa Alhadeff at the Garden of Aaron at Star of David Memorial Gardens on February 16, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. Alhadeff was one of 17 people killed in the February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Former student Nikolas Cruz has been arrested and charged for the 17 murders. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

In addition to the walkouts, there will be a rally in Seattle at Occidental Square. The "We Won't Be Next" rally begins at noon.

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As a counterpoint, there will be a pro-gun rally at the state Legislative Building beginning at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The "March For Our Rights" rally could draw up to 2,000 people, many who will be openly carrying guns.

Here are some of the local schools participating in Friday's 10 a.m. walkout:

  • Garfield High School - Seattle
  • The Bush School - Seattle
  • Hamilton International Middle School - Seattle
  • Ballard High School - Seattle
  • Daniel Bagley Elementary - Seattle
  • Roosevelt High School - Seattle
  • Chief Sealth High School - Seattle
  • Eastside Preparatory - Kirkland
  • International Community School - Kirkland
  • Highline High School - Burien
  • Redmond High School - Redmond
  • Redmond Middle School - Redmond
  • Kamiakin Middle School - Kirkland
  • Edmonds Community College
  • Kent-Meridian High School
  • Mount Si High School - Snoqualmie
  • Rogers High School - Puyallup
  • Sumner High School
  • Bonney Lake High School
  • Fife High School
  • Spanaway Middle School
  • Graham-Kapowsin High School

Image by Neal McNamara/Patch

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