The February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida, leaving 17 dead, has left students across the country shaken.

Student activism is on the rise; after last week’s school shooting, students have become more outspoken about gun laws, challenging lawmakers to do more to protect them. They are staging protests, speaking out on news networks about their desire for gun regulation, and providing the mental health resources necessary for treating troubled peers.  

Jordan Plumstead ‘20 believes now is the time to address the end of gun violence in America. He has taken action and created a facebook page dedicated to organizing EGR’s school walkout to honor the victims who lost their lives.

“At the base of all these problems is keeping guns out of people’s hands who shouldn’t have guns. I think that following the Australian model of gun control, through banning semi-automatic weapons, would be a good solution,” Plumstead said. “Obviously we will not be able to abolish the 2nd amendment completely because of the climate in our country. While that would be a utopia, it would never work here.”

Thoughts and prayers are no longer enough — students are demanding action. Organizers of protests are hoping to apply new pressure on an old debate: gun control laws. These students, while not old enough to vote, want to show lawmakers that theses issues will not evaporate. They are calling for change.

Maddy Meyer ‘18 shared the same sense of urgency as Plumstead.

“As school shootings become more and more common, I think, as students, we’re realizing that we need to do something about gun control because it’s our lives that are on the line,” Meyer said. “This is why the walkouts are so important.”

On Friday, April 20, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting, there will be a National High School student walk out. Students are encouraged to walk out of school, wear orange, and protest online and throughout communities.

High School students across the country are fighting back against the complacency of politicians regarding gun control. The aim of the walkouts is to protest congresses inaction and help anchor support for protests planned in the coming weeks. Students are not waiting for adults to make the necessary changes to prevent the next school shooting.