School Walkouts: District 214 Will Let Students Take Part Again

Another national school walkout is planned Friday to mark the 19-year anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado. It's another example of the continued the activism by young people against gun violence that was sparked by the Valentine's Day mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people.

In March, thousands of students across the country — including those attending Arlington Heights and Palatine schools — participated in demonstrations. Administrators at local school systems like Township High School District 214 worked with student organizers to set up guidelines for the protests. The walkouts were neither condoned or condemned, and students were allowed to express themselves without repercussions.

And that will still be the case this time around for District 214.

"We're aware students are planning a walkout on April 20," D214 spokeswoman Jennifer Delgado told Patch on Thursday. "We are working with our municipal partners and law enforcement to ensure the safety of our students and minimal disruption to the school day should they choose to exit the building. We're not sponsoring or endorsing these walkouts, but we support our students' rights for a peaceful display. We expect students to behave appropriately and return to class as soon as the brief walkouts are over, and we will review each situation as it unfolds."

RELATED: Schaumburg High School Students Walk Out For Stronger Gun Laws

According to the National School Walkout website, protests are planned for at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights and Buffalo Grove High School.

Nationally, the upcoming walkout will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, April 20, with students leaving classes to protest gun violence, the national website says. Unlike last month's demonstrations, this walkout will not be limited to 17 minutes — a minute for each of the victims of the Parkland shooting — and in some cases will last for the entire school day.

But not all local school systems are accepting of another round of walkouts, even if they had been in March. In a letter to parents this week, Community Consolidated School District 15 Supt. Scott Thompson said school administrators would not support future walkouts. The Palatine-based elementary school district had allowed students to demonstrate last month.

"Administrators are aware of other planned student walkouts-national movements to protest various issues," Thompson wrote. "The district does not endorse walkouts that disrupt the educational process. We have other avenues for students to participate in exercising their free speech. … We encourage parents to talk with their children to help them make informed decisions that conform to school expectations."

Go to the National School Walkout website for more information.

Image via National School Walkout