School Walkout: Tinley Students Remember Victims, Call For Action

TINLEY PARK, IL — Hundreds of students at high schools serving Tinley Park particpated in the national school walkout Wednesday morning to honor the victims in last month's Parkland, Florida, shooting and to call for stronger gun laws. At Tinley Park High School, around 300 to 400 students held signs — some with the slogan "Never Again," others with the phone numbers of lawmakers on them — as they walked to the front of the school.

While Tinley's demonstration — and those at schools around the country — moved outside, the walkout at Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort remained indoors. About half of that high school's students particpated in the walkout, and it lasted less than 20 minutes (the national event was designed to run 17 minutes, a minute of silence for each of the victims in the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School).

Along with the moment of silence, participants in the Tinley Park High School event marked the month anniversary by wearing gray. Student organizers also asked fellow classmates to contact state and national legislators following the walkout and urge them to enact tougher gun laws.

RELATED: Lincoln-Way East Walkout 'Very Mature,' D210 Supt. Says

"We want to respect our students," Bremen High School District 228 Supt. Bill Kendall said about the walkouts at the school system's four campuses. "The choice to participate or not was respected for all students. It was a teachable moment for everyone."

In the wake of the Parkland shooting, Kendall, who called the demonstrations at all of the district's schools "respectful and organized," said educators need to be good listeners and be aware of students' concerns when it comes to school safety.

Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Supt. Scott Tingley echoed those sentiments, saying concerns over security and well-being of students and faculty overshadow the learning and teaching. He pointed to communication between staff and students as the key.

Hundreds of Tinley Park High School students participate in the national school walkout Wednesday, March 14, to honor the victims of the Parkland, Florida, shooting and call for tougher gun laws. (Photo and video by Vejune Sidaugaite)