
This morning at 10 am local time, students across Seattle and the nation are walking out of class for 17 minutes—one minute to mark each person murdered in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, one month ago today.
The walkouts will honor the victims and call for lawmakers to strengthen gun safety laws. In Seattle, students at multiple schools are planning to walk out. Nationwide, nearly 3,000 walkouts were planned. They've already happened on the East Coast.
This year in the Democratically controlled Washington State Legislature, lawmakers banned bump stocks and limited access to guns for people who've been convicted of harassment with a domestic violence motivation. But lawmakers failed to expand background checks and raise the age of purchase for semi-automatic rifles.
Sydney Brownstone spent yesterday with student activists organizing some of the marches. "Everyone is always like, ‘take a step back, focus on school,’” said 17-year-old Emilia Allard from Ballard High School. "But I don’t think they understand that we can’t take a step back. We’ve been given this opportunity, obviously not just us here in Seattle, but every student who’s a part of these marches. And we’re only going to have this opportunity for so long, when people care and continue to listen.”
Check back here throughout the morning for updates from the walkouts.
9:55 AM: Students at Garfield and Roosevelt High Schools are preparing. Roosevelt students plan to march to the University of Washington after they walk out of class.
Garfield High School students are ready for #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/WcWwGv8Zvh
— Steven Hsieh (@stevenjhsieh) March 14, 2018
Roosevelt High School minutes before #NationalWalkoutDay begins here in #Seattle pic.twitter.com/UMlTGEez8h
— nathalie graham (@gramsofgnats) March 14, 2018
Washington Middle School students have arrived at Garfield HS. They’re signing this banner. #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/eUmohLnL4I
— Steven Hsieh (@stevenjhsieh) March 14, 2018
10 AM: Students are now walking out of class and adults are applauding. Watch live video from KING 5 here.
Kids are beginning to walk out of their classooms at Ballard High. Car horns honking, adults clapping. pic.twitter.com/2SIAtPAI7r
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) March 14, 2018
Ballard High School Students. #nationalwalkoutday pic.twitter.com/k3zTd3ilAW
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) March 14, 2018
What were you doing in high school? #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/IUcu2g8tmT
— Steven Hsieh (@stevenjhsieh) March 14, 2018
#WalkoutWednesday pic.twitter.com/mjkkKuz0Jp
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) March 14, 2018
pic.twitter.com/21gg1ZjVGV
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) March 14, 2018
10:05 AM: Governor Jay Inslee has arrived at Ballard High School.
Gov Inslee just arrived at Ballard HS to speak at schools walk out pic.twitter.com/w60AvC8miR
— Christine Clarridge (@c_clarridge) March 14, 2018
10:10 AM: A student at Ballard High School says she's lived through so many mass shootings, she's becoming numb to it. Now, students want change—and yes, they're planning to pre-register to vote.
Ally (sp?) Rice, freshman at Ballard High, says she’s becoming numb to stories of students dying in mass shootings. “Thoughts and prayers, saying something needs to be done, and pretty much forgetting about it until another shooting happens.” pic.twitter.com/TtO0I6RVby
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) March 14, 2018
“Too many underestimate the power that we as teenagers hold,” she says. “This time has to be the last time.”
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) March 14, 2018
Rice: “We as teenagers will not fall for the lie that politicians have spoon fed us in order to protect their money.” She continues: “Honey, you’ve got a big storm coming.”
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) March 14, 2018
Students at Garfield are holding 17 minutes of silence and naming the victims in Parkland:
17 minutes of silence at Garfield High School. Every minute, a student leader names one of the 17 people killed in Parkland. #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/6XJawvPOKw
— Steven Hsieh (@stevenjhsieh) March 14, 2018
Students at Roosevelt are holding a moment of silence before marching to the UW:
Moment of silence begins. You can hear the kids hush the adults that begin clapping. #NationalSchoolWalkOut #seattle pic.twitter.com/VP1ZtbK5Os
— nathalie graham (@gramsofgnats) March 14, 2018
10:20 AM: Governor Jay Inslee tells Ballard High School students they're making history:
.@GovInslee says he’s the “proud son of a Ballard Beaver.” He says: “The Ballard Beavers are doing a great job studying history, but today you’re making history.” pic.twitter.com/xH6DrBgj5D
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) March 14, 2018
"Does owning a gun make you safe? Do guns at school make us safe?" says Marlow Barrington, a junior at Ballard High, citing statistics about gun deaths. "How can we not expect that number to climb if guns become more prevalent in our learning environments? It is my right to feel safe at school...We need to remind our elected officials that inaction is to be complicit, an action within itself."
Marlow Barrington, Ballard High junior. pic.twitter.com/i9RxNYppNy
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) March 14, 2018
10:25 AM: State Senator Reuven Carlyle is fired up. "We are here because we believe in something deep and that is we have a fundamental right for a quality of life and for community and for safety," he told students, "And that conviction guides us not just to the ballot box, not just to public service...not just to the work you do every day, but for something deeper."
Never seen @Reuvencarlyle this fired up, though. pic.twitter.com/EV8jpBf82S
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) March 14, 2018
10:31 AM: Students at Roosevelt High School begin their walkout towards the UW, setting a "grueling pace."
And we're off, headed down 15th Ave, led by the three student organizers. Chanting has just started. pic.twitter.com/bHIxTEVYsu
— nathalie graham (@gramsofgnats) March 14, 2018
Setting a grueling pace across the Ravenna Bridge. #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/PY3vQm38c6
— nathalie graham (@gramsofgnats) March 14, 2018