I want it to be known that the gun control revolution was started by high school students.
Let's throw it back to 1999 and what has been widely regarded as the first major school shooting in America—Columbine. The Columbine shooting was the first of its kind. The school itself didn't know how to react as there really was no such thing as a "code red." Police were the same; they didn't know how to respond to the situation. The police did not have blueprints of the school and had very few ways to communicate with the students and teachers within the school.
The two shooters of Columbine checked every box on the list of things we are told to look out for. They made home movies of them shooting guns, made a movie for a film class at school that alluded to a school shooting. One of the shooters even wrote an essay that raised the eyebrow of his teacher. This teacher called his parents in and talked to them, but no further actions were taken. Both students kept in-depth journals that even had details and drawings of their plans. There were so many red flags that went unchecked.
Cut to today and every student from kindergarten to seniors in high school, and even college can tell you their code red drills. Turning off the lights, locking the doors and hiding in the corner of the classroom. We have been taught the signs of a school shooter and have been told to report anyone suspicious. Most schools have fences that surround them, metal detectors and armed police officers on campus. Every action has been taken by schools and the student and faculty within the schools to avoid events like Columbine, or more recently Stonewall Douglas, from ever happening again. Now it's time for the government to do the same.
For the past week, high school students have been screaming at the government on both the local and federal levels to make changes to our lax gun control laws. There have been walkouts scheduled for the next months both to honor the victims of shootings and to raise awareness for the dire need to make changes to our current legislation.
Today (February 21), was one of the first major high school walkouts across the country, and I'm proud to say that my school participated.
At 12:06, when the bell rang, a large majority of the over 1,500 students at my high school walked out of class and made their way to the football field. We walked the track, with many of the students holding signs, and chanted for change, for no more lives lost.
At the end of the 17-minute walk, we stood in the middle of the field and chanted "Douglas Strong" before taking a moment of silence for the victims.
The entire walkout and protest had been put together by teenagers through social media. Teenagers have stopped sitting back and being silent and have started to take action. We are no longer being spoon-fed what is being told to us by the government and authority. We are too young to vote, but we will not let our voice go unheard. We are being the change we want to see.
It is time for people to sit down and listen to what we have to say. Or schools, our one safe zone, is under attack and it seems like no one wants to listen. We are screaming for help and refuse to be silenced.