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Batavia HS Students Participate in National Walkout

By James Burns

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Students of Batavia High School stepped outside and into the wind and the snow for 17 minutes today. They were there to express their concern for their safety and for a moment of silence for the 17 people that lost their lives in the mass shooting at Parkland HS in Florida.

The Batavia HS students all had slightly different views on how to stop mass school shootings including: gun control, more police, better mental health, less bullying, and students taking responsibility for their own safety. Certainly these feelings reflect the feelings of the rest of society.

Perhaps the wisdom of the crowd is pointing to the fact that not one single thing is responsible for these mass shootings and there are multiple causes that need to be addressed simultaneously.  

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Along with the varied solutions, all but one of the students interviewed felt that our political system has failed them. To address this issue there is a push for voter registration along with the protest.

Sydney Atchinson one of the students who helped with the organization of the protest said, “We are fed up with talking and politics (nothing is getting solved). Students will change politics by voicing their opinions and with votes.”

Students with pro gun signs stood in solidarity next to students with #neveragain signs. Despite not all pushing for the same solution, the students stood united to end the extreme violence in schools. This is very much a grassroots movement; there is not a leader of this walk out, just a collective understanding something needs to be done.

The student government body did not officially sanction this event but there are members who actively participated.

Not all students were involved the in walk out. Some stayed inside because they disagree with Woman’s March organization, others said they just don’t care enough. For some, it was just too cold to go outside.

A student made a point to tell me that they do understand the importance of the Second Amendment. They also do believe in the students' right to “live without fear and without being shot and massacred.” Living without fear and persecution, isn’t that one of the main reasons the Constitution was written? 

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David Russell

Hard facts that they do not want to confront...
Teen Driver Cell Phone Statistics
11 teens die every day as a result of texting while driving.
According to a AAA poll, 94% of teen drivers acknowledge the dangers of texting and driving, but 35% admitted to doing it anyway.
21% of teen drivers involved in fatal accidents were distracted by their cell phones.
Teen drivers are 4x more likely than adults to get into car crashes or near-crashes when talking or texting on a cell phone.
A teen driver with only one additional passenger doubles the risk of getting into a fatal car accident. With two or more passengers, they are 5x as likely.

Mar 14, 2018, 2:00pm Permalink
Tim Miller

David - although texting and driving are bad things that harm people, many of who are teens, there is a huge fault in any logic that declares "X is as bad as or worse than Y, therefore we should ignore Y." There is no reason why both texting while driving and school shootings cannot both be addressed for the dangers they are.

tl;dr... "Hey! Look over there! SQUIRREL!!!"

Mar 14, 2018, 3:36pm Permalink
Emma Morrill

Right on, Kids. YOU are the future, and we need you. Today's nation-wide walkouts have demonstrated the depth, poise and maturity that so many of these teens possess. It gives me hope. Beautiful.

Mar 14, 2018, 4:45pm Permalink
James Burns

Davis Spaulding,

Please look at the pictures before you post a question.

The largest group photo is what you are asking about.

Why did you not see it?

JB

Mar 15, 2018, 12:25am Permalink
david spaulding

James Burns,
I see the photo you refer to.
I can not read the signs they are holding.
Since you've taken the time to attempt to insult me
Would you mind taking the same time and read the signs to me?
What message do you see?
DS

Mar 15, 2018, 8:29pm Permalink
James Burns

Attempt to insult you? Apparently you make a habit of making up your mind with out any factual input.

I am insulted that you, being all knowing, armed with your great knowledge of politics and media, jumped to a wrong conclusion that there is no way anyone would put any pro gun information in a paper. When in reality it was right in from of your eyes. It is the picture with the most signs and the largest cluster of kids.

The real joke is the article said there were pro gun supporters at the walk out. If there was a "media conspiracy" why even write that information? You, David Spaulding, learned of the pro gun signs from the article, then you make an incorrect snarky remark about there being no pictures of them. Really?

You know this website covers pro gun rallies. Last Saturday there was a story on SCOPE. I know you saw it since you commented on it. Yet you seem inclined to be negative, again disregarding the facts.

If you would like to apologize for jumping to an incorrect conclusion I would be happy to post what the signs said, even email the original pic for you to look at.

Mar 16, 2018, 6:53am Permalink

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