#Enough walkout encourages student activism

March 15, 2018 — by Elaine Fan and Elaine Toh

Saratoga's student-lead walkout has joined thousands of other walkouts across the nation to increase student activism and advocate for congressional action in light of recent Parkland Shooting. 

Exiting the school’s entrance on March 14 at 10 a.m., hundreds of students walked down Herriman Avenue and Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, some holding up signs and chanting “No more silence, end gun violence.” A similar scene played out in schools across the country as thousands of students left classes and marched for gun safety in light of the mass shooting that killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., exactly a month prior.

This event, titled “#Enough,” was a 17-minute national school wide walkout organized by the Women’s March Youth, a group that encourages students to make positive impacts on their community. According to the official website, approximately 3,136 walkouts occurred on the day.

The official demands of #Enough called for Congress to recognize all forms of gun violence as a public health emergency and to create intervention programs.

Prior to the walkout, members of the ASB held a memorial for the Florida victims in the Large Gym. Students then held a moment of silence and followed the ASB members onto the streets, some branching out to march separately.

In line with the Women’s March Youth’s emphasis on power in the polls, the memorial featured signs that encouraged students to vote. California juniors and seniors in particular can legally pre-register to vote as of 2014.

“My hope is that more and more students and young people become a part of the process of what can really make changes in our country sensible changes in our country, and you do that through voting,” principal Paul Robinson said. “You do that through being aware of some of the political ideals and things that are out there. And that’s how things change.”

 
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