La Cañada High students participate in national walkout demanding gun law reform
Under the protective gaze of a light security detail, a small but irrepressible group of La Cañada High School students walked out of class Friday morning and marched to Memorial Park to voice their demand for stricter gun control laws.
Organized by the non-school-affiliated group Activism USA, the walkout coincided with a national movement comprising some 2,600 schools across the country on April 20, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting.
The aim of the National School Walkout is to send a message to lawmakers about the need for stronger gun laws, help promote solutions to gun violence and engage more young people in the civic process.
LCHS student Ethan Crane, who rallied support via megaphone, said while the event was planned to complement an earlier March 14 demonstration, its intent was different.
“The previous event was about gun violence. But here we’re talking about the issue of gun control,” Crane said, listing universal background checks and a ban on assault rifles as possible solutions.
Senior Adam Goodman wore the movement’s signature color orange, the color hunters use to protect themselves from being shot by other hunters.
“Some people don’t understand this issue is not partisan,” he said. “We have as much of a right to life as anyone else.”
While only about 40 La Cañada High School students proved willing to incur an unexcused absence for leaving campus, several more students crowded hallways and balconies to see off marchers as they traversed nearly 2 miles north on Foothill Boulevard toward their destination. Players in the school’s spring production of “Les Miserables” sang a rousing chorus of “Do You Hear the People Sing?”
LCHS Principal Ian McFeat joined a handful of administrators, security personnel and district officials standing watch by the school entrance to ensure things went smoothly and no one took advantage of the protest as an opportunity to ditch classes.
McFeat said while the school could neither support nor oppose students exercising their right to free speech, he did appreciate students taking ownership of their learning.
“This is an interesting time to be a student,” the principal added.
Sheriff’s deputies rode parallel along Foothill Boulevard as Crane led a call and response chant, “Show me what democracy looks like/This is what democracy looks like.” Passing motorists, recognizing the protest, honked their horns and got cheers and fist pumps in response.
At Memorial Park, adults from La Cañada Congregational Church set out sandwiches, cookies and chips and awaited marchers’ arrival. The church’s Rev. Kyle Sears said his eighth-grade daughter, Kylie, wanted to march so he let her.
“I think it’s important that students find their voice as early as possible,” he said.
Kylie Sears marched with friend and fellow eighth-grader Claire Steward, two of only a few LCHS 7/8 students who participated.
“Students’ lives are being taken unfairly, and we’re here to march against that,” she said of her reason for joining.
Steward said she also got permission from her parents, who’ve always taught her to stand up for her beliefs.
“I don’t think guns should be totally eradicated, but we should have some control,” she added.
At the park, students ate lunch under the gazebo and listened to a playlist of songs specially selected by Activism USA President Jack Weirick for the occasion. Weirick, a senior at the high school, said the small turnout was pretty impressive, considering the risk involved.
“I don’t think most people were willing to risk getting marked truant or an absence, especially this close to the end of the year, so I think the turnout was pretty good,” Weirick said.
Twitter: @SaraCardine
