Four of the deadliest mass shootings in America have been at schools, including the one at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 and wounded 15 a little more than a month ago. Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and others around the country, have called for a national march on Washington, which is taking place tomorrow. According to the March For Our Lives website, the purpose of the event is to “demand that [children’s and families’] lives and safety become a priority and that we end gun violence and mass shootings in our schools today.” In addition to the March in the nation’s capital, at which organizers expect more than 500,000 people, there are local marches in more than 800 communities throughout the country and internationally, according the march organizer’s website.
A sign to be carried by Northwood students in DC. (Photo: Provided)
Northwood School students and faculty plan to attend the March on Washington and a smaller local march in Saranac Lake. The local march is being chaperoned by Ninth Grade Class Dean Ms. Noel Carmichael.
Senior Olivia Skriloff is leading organizing efforts Northwood to bring a group of 10 students to represent our school and protest gun violence. Mr. Broderick will be the chaperone bringing these students to Washington DC.
The group of students headed to DC will leave on Friday, March 23, 2018 at 3:30pm, right after school is over and includes students in all grades. They will be marching down Pennsylvania Avenue towards the White House and will hear speakers and performers that will include students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, other young people affected by gun violence and celebrities.
The drive is expected to be 10-11 hours, and the group of students is going to arrive late on Friday. They plan to return to Lake Placid on Sunday morning.
Sophie Phillips at a rally for those heading to the March for Our Lives event in Washington D.C. on March 20, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
“The march we are going to is called the March for Lives and basically it is marching on Washington under the stipulation that our lives and the other 30,000 people who have been killed by gun violence,” said Skriloff. “Congress still hasn’t acted yet. And so, we are calling on Congress and the President to act. And I think that this is further proof that, until they do enact common sense gun control, mass shooting are still going to happen daily in the United States like they have been happening. This [student safety] is more important than anybody’s right to an assault weapon. So we’re calling for common sense gun control,” says Skriloff.
Even though she has helped organize Northwood’s participation in the march, Skriloff is skeptical about change, but thinks it’s important for students to make their voices heard. “I’m not sure that these protests and marches are going to make a difference, but I do think it is important to stand up for what you believe in. Our country has a long history of peaceful protests creating change, and I think if you can participate in making change, I think that is very special,” said Skriloff.
If Olivia were President of the United States, she would ban both assault-style weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines as well as prohibit devices that would allow semi automatic weapons to function as fully automatic guns.
Students who wish to participate in the Saranac Lake march should see Ms. Carmichael for more information.
