I teach 8th grade English and I take my job very seriously. I also take the law very seriously and do not use my title as a platform to share my own personal opinions and beliefs. My classroom is meant to be a place where all are welcome no matter what they think or believe so long as those things do not result or support the marginalization or discrimination of another student. However, it is not a place where ideas and beliefs will go unchallenged.
One of the things I try to teach my students, besides the fact that they do indeed need a freaking pencil in class, is argumentation. I ask them to challenge, research, and express their ideas with evidence, reasoning, and empathy. It’s a tall task, but it needs to start somewhere.
Before 10am this morning, I reminded my students about what we’ve learned in this class and what I expect out of each of them. I expect them to articulate why they do something. I reminded them to pay attention to the reasons behind their actions whatever they may choose to do. They were extolled to know why they chose to do something so as not to discredit their intentions and beliefs.
A majority of my students walked out of class today at 10:00am, and at 10:17 they quietly returned and got back to work. Before I wrapped up the lesson, I asked them to write down why they chose to walk or remain in class and I thought you should see for yourselves what the young people were thinking today. Remember, these are thirteen and fourteen year olds. They are barely starting puberty and growing beyond the parroting of their parents. It’s a start, and I am so incredibly proud.
Several still can’t remember a pencil, what day it is, or if they did the assignment we just turned, but this is what they wrote:
“I walked out today to show awareness for gun control laws . . . in my history class we read about the gun laws in other countries. The USA has only 2 laws on how to get a gun. Other countries like Japan have 13 laws. This country needs to be more aware about how someone can get a gun.”
“I did not walk out today because I felt like if I did walk out it would just be to get our class. There are better ways to honor people and protest than just standing in silence.”
“I walked out today for respect of the students who lost their lives and to say we need at least a little stronger gun control laws.”
” . . . I hope to see that gun laws are still allowed for recreation and for protection, but if there were a more mental test done before a gun is sold it would reduce shooting.”
“I hope to see these school shootings stop because they can affect the younger children because they may be scared to go to school”
“I walked out today because I wanted to speak my mind about shootings. . . . Most school shooters are people that are bullied or people that no one liked. This needs to change! Instead of laughing at someone that’s sitting alone, go up to them & comfort them.”
“I hope they change the age limit to buy a gun.”
“I did walk out to show respect for the 17 people who died in the Florida shooting. I wasn’t looking to get anything out of it, just a tribute to the victims.”
“I did not walk out today because I didn’t want to be looked at as another kid who just wants 17 minutes out of class.”
“I wanted to honor the 14 students and 3 adults who died. Not only that but for the kids who don’t make friends very well or have problems.”
“I decided to walk out today because I think we needed to show the importance of keeping each other safe and to raise awareness that something like this cannot happen again.”
“I participated in the walk out today for a number of reasons. The walk out was created because of a shooting exactly one month ago, where 17 innocent lives were taken away by a lunatic kid with a gun. It was held to honor those 17 laws & possibly urge lawmakers to enforce stricter gun laws. Stricter gun laws won’t completely end shootings, but they will become less frequent considering it will be more difficult to receive and own guns.”
“I’m doing this to show respect to the parents who lost their children at school.”
“Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”
“Students were supposed to be in their safe place but were instead killed . . . I was also outside because of gun laws. We may not be able to stop or get rid of guns but we can limit the rights and uses of them. We could also make our process of getting guns more strict because in other countries it takes months to get a small gun but here you have to take two small tests.”
“In the media when something like this happens they glorify it which instill fear in people. I know when I found out that 17 innocent people were so tragically murdered I was scared to go to school. I just want people to know that by walking I will try to do whatever to enforce the safety of students. I want people to see that there are people who care and are going to prevent things like this.”
Emelia Josephine 