Today at 10 a.m., students from C-U and beyond participated in a national school walkout inspired by the students of Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; 17 minutes to represent the 17 lives lost. Students at our high school and middle schools formed planning groups around this event and marched, chanted, gave speeches, had moments of silence, and participated in a civics lesson that was more valuable than reading about a protest in a textbook. Props to the area schools for not going the route of other schools nationwide and threatening suspension. Champaign Central and Centennial also planned rallies after the school day, so faculty and staff could participate.
The kids are alright. And soon, they will be voting.
Here are a few photos from the Central walkout today:
There were about 20 adults there to support the students
A moment of silence for the victims of the Parkland shooting
The lone dissenter reading a book aloud in an attempt to drown out the speaker. He didn’t. Police escorted him to the opposite side of the street.