On Columbine Anniversary, Students Call To End Gun Violence — Again

04.20.18
On Columbine Anniversary, Students Call To End Gun Violence — Again (Students at Great Mills HS gathering to remember their slain classmate on the day of the walkout. (Photo by Mollie Davis))

Lane Murdock, a student at Ridgefield High School in Connecticut, and some of her peers organized another anti-gun violence student walkout for April 20, 2018, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine massacre.

https://twitter.com/MaxCumming/status/987358487763177472

Much as they did last month on March 14, students across the country marked the day by walking out of class, holding moments of silence, giving speeches, holding rallies, honoring the dead, marching to their capitols, and more.

https://twitter.com/Emma4Change/status/987332843536871424
https://twitter.com/Trollsgotohatem/status/987383834353197057

Here's a snapshot of the 4/20 #NationalStudentWalkout -- based entirely on the reports of students themselves.

Great Mills remembers

great mills
Great Mills students remembered the classmate they lost to gun violence one month ago. (Photo by Mollie Davis)

Students at Great Mills High School in southern Maryland didn't just walk out -- they held a remembrance for their classmate Jaelynn Willey, who was shot to death at school exactly one month ago, on March 20.

Yesterday, a few Great Mills students went to Capitol Hill to meet with their U.S. senators and talk about gun violence, including Mollie Davis, whose tweet during the shooting went viral.

https://twitter.com/SenatorCardin/status/987068543945576450

Davis spoke at today's event as well.

https://twitter.com/davism0llie/status/987377155561619456

Before the walkout, she shared her thoughts with Youth Radio, along with two other student leaders, Zak Lanis of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Isra Hirsi of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

"Because there are thousands of people who can't walk out ... because their lives have been taken."

3 students - @israhirsi @lanis_81 and #greatmillsshooting survivor @davism0llie - share why they're doing the #NationalSchoolWalkout: pic.twitter.com/yjWGGyiLIa

— youthradio (@youthradio) April 20, 2018

Other schools remembered community victims of gun violence as well.

https://twitter.com/tayinman24/status/987351795717558274
https://twitter.com/maleninnial/status/987348923437277184

Walkouts -- and more -- swept the nation

Turnout this time around was expected to be lower than last month, but still, thousands of students nationwide walked out and rallied.

https://twitter.com/mariana_h30/status/987332251758276608
https://twitter.com/starskia/status/987339148141973504
https://twitter.com/ssyl_a/status/987339067821101056
https://twitter.com/fhsS4C/status/987350207284334592
https://twitter.com/ONWWalkout/status/987351815762169857
https://twitter.com/marykateclegg/status/987352901810098176
https://twitter.com/curlsintheskyy/status/987355654410162178
https://twitter.com/sparklyrach/status/987372519937200157
https://twitter.com/maysenmoon_/status/987369164829614080
https://twitter.com/abbacadabraaaa/status/987373027032780801
https://twitter.com/___alondraaa12/status/987375823610109953
https://twitter.com/_vricardo/status/987372532255920128

https://twitter.com/jmilner1012/status/987406600141881344
https://twitter.com/lanis_81/status/987491860791812096

Some students walked out alone

Or nearly alone.

https://twitter.com/WFHSWalkout/status/987334178483195904
https://twitter.com/TheTinyDiplomat/status/987334885886119937
https://twitter.com/Niallsdaises/status/987343550550560770
https://twitter.com/missteenlesbian/status/987329601813843968
https://twitter.com/maxhateslife/status/987334084287455232
https://twitter.com/TicoDolan/status/987332401289486336
https://twitter.com/youthradio/status/987342049589460992
https://twitter.com/simerjitk119/status/987381310174965763
https://twitter.com/cap_afghanistan/status/987387876894806016

Though Justin Blackman, who went viral last month for walking out alone, had a crowd join him this time.

https://twitter.com/youthradio/status/987347974702485504
https://twitter.com/behotajota/status/987356103985041408

While many faced consequences at school

Many risked getting in trouble -- or chose to just participate in spirit.

https://twitter.com/youthradio/status/987351451017121793
https://twitter.com/RealJarHead11/status/987333593163882497
https://twitter.com/itskindyl/status/987339274591850496
https://twitter.com/Lonely_Baker/status/987342582928855044
https://twitter.com/artbIues/status/987348527553699840
https://twitter.com/paigexxmendes/status/987352681466474496
https://twitter.com/The_JCrochet/status/987354283145334784

Some put the focus on urban gun violence ...

... As well as police brutality and other ways people of color are disproportionately affected by gun violence.

https://twitter.com/mere_graham/status/987353344028168192

This was the focus of a group of marchers in Philadelphia, among others.

https://twitter.com/zill_elcin/status/987349462115811328

And others devoted the day to community service or voter registration

That's the tradition of Columbine High School for marking this sad anniversary -- and many community members carried it out today.

https://twitter.com/Columbine_Lax/status/987381489531633664
https://twitter.com/Katleated18/status/987401487499255808
https://twitter.com/davidhogg111/status/987323343828332545

Some helped people register to vote.

https://twitter.com/WyattStensrud/status/987376224165965824
https://twitter.com/emilykilbourne/status/987353448030097408
https://twitter.com/ialexfiscal/status/987413585239437312

Meanwhile, some chose not to walk out

Ruby Noboa is among those who feels that while the #NeverAgain movement is doing good, it isn't focused on the issues she feels are most important. She walked out last month, but she chose not to today.

https://twitter.com/youthradio/status/987321256147070976

And students like Alexis Buxton stayed in school because they are strong supporters of the Second Amendment and while they too want students to be safe in school, they don't feel included in the #NeverAgain rhetoric they hear.

https://twitter.com/youthradio/status/987366430818603008
https://twitter.com/bclouser23/status/987381626383593473

Did you know there was a school shooting today?

Yes, today. One student at Forest High School in Ocala, Florida, was shot and injured this morning.

https://twitter.com/RedTRaccoon/status/987323205844074496

Fortunately, no one was killed. But still.

https://twitter.com/GabeGlassman/status/987360766813769729
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