4-20-2018 National Day of Action

Students, Teachers, Parents/Caregivers Against Mass Shootings & Gun Violence in America #NoKidsLeft #NationalSchoolWalkout

[420dayofaction-blog]

via twitter user insanityreport:

look. this isn’t hard. its not rocket science White America supports protests as long as they’re not black or focused on black issues. that’s it. we all know it. pointing that out for this march shouldn’t be a shock to anyone

no one is saying the march shouldn’t happen. no one is saying these kids are wrong but i’ll be damned if i don’t get a little angry watching how much the media & public is greeting these kids with open arms

Everything about this is being treated different because the face of the movement is white Ask yourself why you haven’t seen push for these kids to forgive their shooter like you did when Dylan Roof executed black people in a church

shit is being treated differently and its because white america can see themselves in these kids but when its black and brown kids they don’t give a fuck that’s it

via the thread here: https://twitter.com/insanityreport/status/977533433202315265

[sephcorvidrose-deactivated20221]

April 20th National School Walkout

April 20th, 2018 marks the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting. On February 14th, the Parkland shooting surpassed Columbine in the number of casualties and injuries. In each of these massacres, “thoughts and prayers” were all that were given—not gun control, not change, not so much as recognition after disaster, any “thought” of the event quickly being swept under the rug immediately after the slaughter of civilians.

April 20th, 2018 marks a national school walkout. Every student in every school across the U.S. is encouraged to participate. Spread the word, tell your friends, tell your peers, tell anyone that you can. At 10:00 AM, we begin the walkout, we protest, and we make ourselves heard.

We live in a nation where our elected officials hold the right to own a machine of mass murder above the lives of innocents. Yet, the moment anyone talks about the issue, they are condemned for speaking out, damned to silence, because “now isn’t the time to be political” — the exact reason we never get anything done. If now isn’t the time to talk about change, there will never be a time to enforce it.

Even now, as students plan to make themselves heard, as they plan to fight for the right to not be gunned down when trying to receive an education, administrators are threatening to punish those who act. They claim they have far more power over the matter than they actually do, threatening suspension and disciplinary action. Even if they do act out on this, I feel I speak for many others when I say that I will gladly face discipline over the fear of any day in school becoming the last for myself or those around me.

If those leading the country will do nothing to save us, then the call to action falls into our hands. We will do what our officials have failed to do and make a difference.

We are students. We are victims. We are change. Our voices will be heard. Our fighting will never cease.

[420dayofaction-blog]

[text reads: This is just a start. Next week we have marches. Next month we want to see a complete WALKOUT. Combine what we learn this month for massive action across the US. Empty classrooms at every grade level, massive student-led rallies in every city! #NoKidsLeft #NationalSchoolWalkout]

March 24 - March For Our Lives

April 20 - National Day of Action Against Gun Violence

Let’s see this movement grow!

[420dayofaction-blog]

Michael Clevenger on Twitter

“Students at Marshall County High School, protected by school buses, return from a walkout. Two students were killed at the school by a student gunman in January. @courierjournal #NationalWalkoutDay #NationalSchoolWalkout #nationalwalkout”

“Students at Marshall County High School, protected by school buses, return from a walkout. Two students were killed at the school by a student gunman in January. @courierjournal #NationalWalkoutDay #NationalSchoolWalkout #nationalwalkout “

[420dayofaction-blog]

Mitchell Skurzewski on Twitter

“Students lying down as part of “die-out” to honor shooting victims in Florida. Community member thanks students..”I’d like to applaud my future” #NationalSchoolWalkout”

“Students lying down as part of “die-out” to honor shooting victims in Florida. Community member thanks students..”I’d like to applaud my future” #NationalSchoolWalkout“

[420dayofaction-blog]

[text reads: The Police and ICE are the Same Trash. State Violence is Gun Violence. The School, to Prison Pipeline is Gun Violence. Hunger and Homelessness is Gun Violence. You’re Gunna Need a Bigger Walk-Out. Include more Struggles. Include the Struggle. This movement is severely incomplete.]

[420dayofaction-blog]

Austin's student, parent, and teacher walkout is scheduled for APRIL 20th - the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting - a "National Day of Action Against Gun Violence in Schools."

from their page:

“We chose to organize this event to coincide with the April 20th action because it is the 19th anniversary of the Columbine tragedy. We’ve all endured almost 2 decades of insecurity in our schools with no substantive action by our government representatives. This is 2 decades too long. We have adjusted the time to 1PM to 3PM to allow students to attend school in the morning to be counted for official attendance numbers for funding and then walkout around lunchtime to attend the rally. Our already strained school budgets could ill afford a large hit to their funding. We hope that y’all can support us in our efforts by continuing to share the event and spreading the word.“

[sapphroditeee]

If your school board isn’t reacting like this they’re doing it wrong

[themelessness]

Just a few of the posters I made for my district Walkout

[sephcorvidrose-deactivated20221]

April 20th National School Walkout

April 20th, 2018 marks the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting. On February 14th, the Parkland shooting surpassed Columbine in the number of casualties and injuries. In each of these massacres, “thoughts and prayers” were all that were given—not gun control, not change, not so much as recognition after disaster, any “thought” of the event quickly being swept under the rug immediately after the slaughter of civilians.

April 20th, 2018 marks a national school walkout. Every student in every school across the U.S. is encouraged to participate. Spread the word, tell your friends, tell your peers, tell anyone that you can. At 10:00 AM, we begin the walkout, we protest, and we make ourselves heard.

We live in a nation where our elected officials hold the right to own a machine of mass murder above the lives of innocents. Yet, the moment anyone talks about the issue, they are condemned for speaking out, damned to silence, because “now isn’t the time to be political” — the exact reason we never get anything done. If now isn’t the time to talk about change, there will never be a time to enforce it.

Even now, as students plan to make themselves heard, as they plan to fight for the right to not be gunned down when trying to receive an education, administrators are threatening to punish those who act. They claim they have far more power over the matter than they actually do, threatening suspension and disciplinary action. Even if they do act out on this, I feel I speak for many others when I say that I will gladly face discipline over the fear of any day in school becoming the last for myself or those around me.

If those leading the country will do nothing to save us, then the call to action falls into our hands. We will do what our officials have failed to do and make a difference.

We are students. We are victims. We are change. Our voices will be heard. Our fighting will never cease.

[420dayofaction-blog]

Lane Murdock on Twitter

“Adults: There is a thin line between help and trying to take over. You had your chance. I LOVE all the help I have gotten but if you reach out with the intention of controlling everything, leave. Student driven, student run is the way it will stay. I will not become a puppet.”

[420dayofaction-blog]

"It's wild that the Parkland shooter had a swastika carved into his gun, wore a MAGA hat, and explicitly expressed his hatred for Jews and black people but all these things were excluded from the subsequent conversation. Since the Parkland shooting, we've talked about guns, we've talked about mental health, but the shooter's outspoken white supremacist values and where they came from are seen as non factors. Why?"

[420dayofaction-blog]

Educators stand with our students in saying #NeverAgain We want an end to Gun Violence NOW! https://actionnetwork.org/letters/notonemore-school-shooting?source=direct_link thndr.me/WD5tYy http://thndr.me/WD5tYy

[420dayofaction-blog]

text:

GenX, circa 1990: Shit, organizing is hard work. My parents just want me to study and 'get a good job' like they did, and I can't get my message out beyond these zines I keep leaving at the coffee shop. 300 people at a protest is a big deal. *studies developing tech, starts building communication and information exchange platforms, settles down to a day job but doesn't stop trying to change the world, takes up blogging. Eventually figures out self-care*

Millennials, circa 2001: OK, there's got to be a better way to communicate and network to organise. Emailing everyone is just so damned tedious, and I can't really share blogs . I try to talk to my family about what's important, and they're busy with their own shit. *works on developing social media, builds more collaborative communities, gets into encrypted apps and communication platforms. Can't get day jobs in field, so ends up in high-turnover employment like teaching*

GenZ: This shit can't stand. OK, everyone, put the word out on social media that we're walking out of class to protest. Start making videos and putting them out there. We have shit to say.

Millenials respond: We have spent the last decade becoming strong and active voices for justice and activism. Now we have millions of followers and we'll amplify you and support you.

GenX responds: A lot of us are your parents. We raised you on a steady diet of hero and heroine stories about faith and perseverance, and many of us never gave up our quiet rage. We'll pack you a lunch, make sure you're wearing good shoes for the protest, and remind you to wear sunscreen and not to use swears in news interviews.

There's not a contest between the generations for who the 'real activists' and the 'real voices for justice' are.

We've been waiting for you, kids. Not to save us. To join us.

[420dayofaction-blog]

check out http://nationalschoolwalkout.us/ for info, free graphics for sharing via social media, & even resources to help you make your own t-shirt

[friendies-illustrators]

How to start/plan a school walkout

Talk to your counselor first, they might have some good advice on how to plan one at your specific school

If you are afraid/unable to talk to your counselor, gather your friends, as many as you can and start planning from there.

Once you know the plan (Time, Date, Place, Longevity) start spreading the word. This will be the most difficult part.

3b. How to get people to participate

My school only had 200 participants (about 20% of our school population) so be aware that there might not be a strong turn out.

Creating flyers would be awesome! They don’t have to be fancy, you could right down the time and date on sticky notes and plant them on everyone’s locker in the morning!!

Mention it to EVERYONE and tell them to forward the information, there has to be a constant circulation of information.

Be ready to answer any questions you may be asked by potential participants! They’ll want to know WHY they should be a part of the walkout.

[3yrsatatime]

Also, I know what my school did is make an event on Facebook, and organize it that way! I know a lot of us don’t even use Facebook anymore, a lot of kids in my school just have it for club announcements, but use social media, it’s one of the most influential part of our lives, even we don’t want it to be. Post it on Snapchat, or ig. Social media is probably were the most kids from your school follow you!

[friendies-illustrators]

This is a great addition, thank you!!

~Mod R

[mindfulwrath]

hey, one millenial to another?

don’t just leave the gen z kids to clean up this mess. i know we’re all tired, i know we’re all exhausted, but we cannot sit back on our nihilistic laurels and leave them to do this alone.

it’s time to stand back up. it’s time to get back in there. it’s time to fight that fight, and fight it harder.

it’s time to be the adults we wish had stood with us.

[poppies-for-ophelia]

The old people want to ignore them, let’s have these kids stand on our shoulders.

Help them stand tall and support them, make sure they aren’t looked over and ignored. Be the person we wish had been there for us.

We’re tired, but we can let them stand on our shoulders.

[friendies-illustrators]

For all our millennial followers: raise these kids up! Amplify their voices, their movements!!!

~Mod R