National School Walkout

National School Walkout was a protest held on March 14, 2018, in response to the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, which occurred on February 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, resulting in the deaths of Nikolas Cruz's victims, including Alyssa Alhadeff, Scott Beigel, and Jaime Guttenberg. The walkout was inspired by the activism of Emma González, David Hogg, and other Stoneman Douglas High School students, who demanded action from United States Congress, Donald Trump, and other politicians, including Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, to address gun violence in the United States. The protest was also supported by organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, National Rifle Association's opponents, including Everytown for Gun Safety, and Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, founded by Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly. The walkout drew comparisons to other student-led protests, including the 1963 Birmingham Campaign, led by Martin Luther King Jr., and the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District case, which involved Mary Beth Tinker and John Tinker.

Background

The National School Walkout was a response to the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, which was one of the deadliest school shootings in United States history, along with the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the Columbine High School massacre. The shooting led to widespread outrage and calls for action from students, parents, and politicians, including Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Bernie Sanders. The walkout was also inspired by the Women's March, the March for Our Lives, and other protests that took place in the United States in the months leading up to the walkout, including the 2018 United States gun violence protests, which involved Michael Bloomberg's Everytown for Gun Safety and Shannon Watts' Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. The walkout was supported by a number of organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers, led by Randi Weingarten, the National Education Association, and the Service Employees International Union, which has worked with Andrew Stern and Mary Kay Henry.

Organization

The National School Walkout was organized by a group of students from Stoneman Douglas High School, including Emma González, David Hogg, and Cameron Kasky, who worked with other students and organizations to plan the walkout. The walkout was also supported by a number of other organizations, including the Women's March Youth Empower, which has worked with Tamika Mallory and Linda Sarsour, and the Indivisible movement, which has worked with Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg. The walkout was planned to take place on March 14, 2018, at 10:00 am local time, and was expected to involve students from over 3,000 schools across the United States, including New York City's Stuyvesant High School, Los Angeles's Granada Hills Charter High School, and Chicago's Simeon Career Academy. The walkout was also supported by a number of politicians, including Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, and Cory Booker, who have worked on gun control legislation, including the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Protests

The National School Walkout took place on March 14, 2018, with students from over 3,000 schools across the United States participating in the walkout. The walkout involved students walking out of their classrooms and gathering in other locations, such as school courtyards, football fields, and National Malls, to protest gun violence and demand action from politicians, including Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. The walkout was peaceful, with students holding signs and chanting slogans, such as "Enough is enough" and "Never again," which were also used in the March for Our Lives rally, led by Martin Luther King III and Ariana Grande. The walkout was also attended by a number of politicians, including Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Cory Booker, who spoke at the walkout and expressed their support for the students' demands, which have been echoed by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly.

Reactions

The National School Walkout received widespread media attention and sparked a national conversation about gun violence and gun control in the United States. The walkout was supported by a number of politicians, including Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Bernie Sanders, who praised the students for their activism and demanded action from United States Congress to address gun violence. The walkout was also opposed by some politicians, including Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, who argued that the walkout was a distraction from the real issues facing the United States, such as immigration and national security, which have been addressed by Jeff Sessions and John Kelly. The walkout was also criticized by some National Rifle Association supporters, including Wayne LaPierre and Dana Loesch, who argued that the walkout was an attempt to infringe on Second Amendment rights, which have been defended by Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

Impact

The National School Walkout had a significant impact on the national conversation about gun violence and gun control in the United States. The walkout helped to raise awareness about the issue of gun violence and put pressure on politicians to take action to address it, including Marco Rubio and Rick Scott. The walkout also inspired a number of other protests and activism efforts, including the March for Our Lives rally, which took place on March 24, 2018, and involved Paul McCartney, Jennifer Hudson, and Andra Day. The walkout also led to a number of changes in gun control policies, including the passage of red flag laws in several states, including California, New York, and Florida, which have been supported by Gavin Newsom, Andrew Cuomo, and Ron DeSantis. The walkout also inspired a number of students to become involved in politics and activism, including Jaclyn Corin and Sarah Chadwick, who have worked with Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly to advocate for gun control legislation, including the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Category:Protests in the United States