Reflections from a Walkout

As the discussion heated up about the big walkout this week, our students had not said a word.  I was worried that they were apathetic and didn't care but the afternoon before the 14th, they finally spoke up and wanted to participate.  We had a lot going on that morning but we made an open invitation for those who wanted to walk out may do so.  I allowed them the area around the flagpole to gather.  Our local police department stood by to observe and they came out in far greater numbers than I expected.

I would say nearly 200 students came out and gathered around in a circle and stood silently for 17 minutes.  Some prayed, others just stood but all of them were still and did not disrupt any of those 17 minutes.  No signs were made or carried.  No chants were shouted.  They used their time to honor the 17 children that were murdered in Parkland, Florida.

I was very proud of our kids.  There were no politics and the feedback from social media was good.  I felt like they got it.  Even kids from very pro-gun families stood in mourning and prayed.  There are a lot of things that we use as measures of success in schools like test scores or winning teams to name a couple.  The honest reality is that these are the moments you should measure your students by.  If you can have a school year in which your students show tremendous heart and concern for others, you have a good school.  Our kids have stepped up many times this year and made me proud.

I woke up the next morning to find a comment added to the school's Facebook post.  To paraphrase he posted that we were indoctrinating these kids and that they knew nothing of the second amendment.  I knew this man personally and we had even worked together at my previous district.  I deleted his comment and messaged him privately to contact me directly if he had a concern about the activity and to not call out my students.  I did not hear back from him.

This commenter does not understand what I have come to know over all these years.  Kids are way better people than we give them credit for.  They absolutely frustrate us as we work to mold them but their moral compass is always good.  As I was saddened at the comment that was left, my wife sent me a post from one of our students that made my day.  A seventh grader from my building made the post below and I really hope people took note that he is one of many kids that just want peace for their fellow students.  My kids were not there to prove a political point.  They were there to honor and mourn.  Misguided adults are painting the nation's youth as too naive to understand the situation, but trust me they do.

Too often our "leaders" try to solve problems without the advice of those affected the most.  If I have learned anything in recent weeks its that it is time for policy makers to listen to the kids that are living this horrible reality of their time.  They may not be able to vote today, but it won't be long until they can.  This is not just the millennial generation it is also the era of the school shooting and it is the most unique time in our nation's history.  They will have their time to lead this nation but please don't count them out today because they are young.  They will always bring us grown ups back to where we know we should be.