Nationwide on April 20, 2018, students walked out of their classrooms at 10 a.m. to protest gun violence in our schools. This is the second such national rally that has happened in two months. In Garretson, only six students walked out, but they did so without fanfare or the backlash they were expecting.
Readers will recall that GHS made national headlines last month, and a more detailed story in our March 8th edition.
“I didn’t know what to expect today,” said organizer Peyton Sage. “I was trying to get a few more to come out at the last minute. And hey, I understand not wanting to miss school, or miss practice if you’re running Track. But the most disheartening thing I heard from fellow students today was this, ‘I would, but what would it really do...’ That apathy is what the real enemy looks like. Just accept things as they are, accepting the status quo and waiting for the next inevitable school shooting, that’s what’s unacceptable.”
Though student turnout was low, there was no counter protesting. In fact several community members came by just to wish the protesters well, and to encourage them to stay involved in the process. Somebody even brought them fresh hot choco- late and/or cappuccino to stave off the cool temperatures after the previous week’s blizzard conditions.
For more on this, see our intern Sylvia Larson’s Op Ed on page 3.
