Local systems support school walkouts Wednesday

ALBANY — Women’s March Youth EMPOWER is calling for students, teachers, school administrators, parents and allies to take part in a National School Walkout for 17 minutes at 10 a.m. across every time zone on Wednesday.

The walkout day is set to take place in remembrance of the deadly school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla., where 17 students were gunned down.

National organizers say the walkout is “meant to protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods.”

“We need action,” organizers say. “Students and allies are organizing the national school walkout to demand Congress pass legislation to keep us safe from gun violence at our schools, on our streets, and in our homes and places of worship. Students and staff have the right to teach and learn in an environment free from the worry of being gunned down in their classrooms or on their way home from school.

“Parents have the right to send their kids to school in the mornings and see them home alive at the end of the day.”

The proposed walkout has been met with mixed reaction by state school systems.

“The Dougherty County School System believes it is important to give students a voice concerning important matters that impact their lives, and supports their First Amendment right to peacefully assemble and freedom of expression,” DCSS Spokesperson J.D. Sumner said Monday. “Our top priority, however, is to provide for their education in a safe and orderly environment that supports the needs of all of our students.

“If a student walkout occurs in one of our schools, we will allow the students to peacefully protest. However, we also encourage our students to be respectful as the Student Code of Conduct will remain in effect and will be enforced.”

Lee County Schools Assistant Superintendent Kevin Dowling said the school system would also allow its students to participate in the walkout if they wish to do so.

“We’ve talked to the principals of our high school and ninth-grade school and will talk to our middle schools as well. Basically, in a situation like this, we’re going to support our students,” Dowling said. “People talk about school violence and sometimes forget that it affects educators as well. Obviously, we are going to try and provide a safe structured environment for our students to allow it to happen.

“But we are going to support our students who wish to take those 17 minutes.”

Gwinnett County Public Schools are preparing for the highly publicized walkout. County public school officials said in a statement to The Gwinnett Daily Post said they do not condone students walking out during the school day.

“We believe the student walkout, however well-intended, could negatively impact our ability to meet our primary responsibility,” the statement said. “Classroom learning will be affected if students miss instructional time, and the safety of students could be compromised if they leave class or campus without permission.”

The county said the decision is not about the cause but for what is best for students in maintaining a safe and orderly school environment.

“Gwinnett County Public Schools supports our students’ desire to express their views and their hopes for change, but they must do so within the guidelines that promote a safe, orderly learning environment,” the statement said. “School leaders have met and continue to meet with students to discuss meaningful ways for them to express themselves and share their concerns without disrupting the instructional day.”

Fulton County Schools announced last week that it would support a “structured” activity during the walkout.