MCPS Students Who Walk Out Face Discipline, Rally Set At Capitol

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — A wide variety of protest and memorials will be held across the country on Wednesday, March 14 to honor the 17 people who were gunned down in the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Montgomery County Public Schools administrators are embracing the efforts of students seeking to pay their respects to the victims in a way that works with the school's operations.

Thousands of students are expected to take part in a walkout on Wednesday as an effort to advocate for stricter gun laws. The March 14 walkout, which will coincide with the National School Walkout day, is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at sites across the country, according to the main campaign website. Any student who leaves their school building without permission or walks out of class outside of the designated time will be marked with an unexcused absence, officials said. But students whose parents sent a note to school that their child has a personal appointment will be excused.

"Civic engagement is the foundation of our democracy and MCPS respects and supports our students’ right to advocate for issues that are important to them," Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jack R. Smith said in a statement.

While school officials support student advocacy, they want students who choose to engage in the civic process to do so while at school, Smith said.

"With guidance from MCPS leadership, school administrators are working closely with student leaders to develop a plan for March 14 that will provide students an opportunity to express their views while remaining safe on campus," Smith said.

Smith wrote a letter on Feb. 22 expressing concern over walkouts that occurred on Feb. 21. Hundreds of students left their schools scattered around Montgomery County and walked to the closest Metro station to get to D.C., where they demanded action on gun control.

"Leaving school property can disrupt instruction for other students and pose a significant safety risk, especially in light of the increase in school threats," Smith said. "MCPS does not have the staff or resources to ensure students are safe during the school day when they are not on a school campus."

See Related:

• Student Walkouts Pose Safety Risks: Montgomery Schools Leader
• Montgomery County Students To Meet With Florida Shooting Victims
• Montgomery County Students Walk Out, March For Gun Control In DC

Here is a list of three upcoming national protests aimed at legislative gun reform:

• March 14, 2018, 10 a.m. — National School Walkout. Say event organizers: "Women's March Youth EMPOWER is calling for students, teachers, school administrators, parents and allies to take part in a #NationalSchoolWalkout for 17 minutes at 10am across every time zone on March 14, 2018 to protest Congress' inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods.
• March 24, 2018 — March For Our Lives. Say event organizers: "On March 24, the kids and families of March For Our Lives will take to the streets of Washington DC to demand that their lives and safety become a priority and that we end gun violence and mass shootings in our schools today. March with us in Washington DC or march in your own community. On March 24, the collective voices of the March For Our Lives movement will be heard.
• April 20, 1018 — National High School Student Walk Out. Say event organizers: "On Friday, April 20th, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting I propose a National High School student walk out. Walk out of school, wear orange and protest online and in your communities. Sign the petition if you pledge to do so. Nothing has changed since Columbine, let us start a movement that lets the government know the time for change is now."

You can view a full list of schools participating in the national walkout by clicking here.