I recently participated in a nationwide walk-out where my peers and I took a unified stance against gun violence in our country, primarily in our schools. The problem with this is not just that it is necessary for us to raise our voices in protest: I should not have to fear expressing my right to peacefully protest because I am afraid of a mass school shooting occurring as the students of my school consolidate in one place and rally. However, fear is the driving force of these rallies, and it is more prevalent than ever in our society.
As a senior who is graduating in a few short months, I often reminisce upon the highs and lows of my high school years. The highs include homecoming dances, getting my license and sports accomplishments, but the lows don't just include break-ups and bad grades. They revolve around gun violence. Those two words encompass a feeling more than anything else. A sense of fear hangs low in the atmosphere of the hallways. It prevents us from walking outside during the day, it makes us look for warning signs in the eyes of every student that passes us, and it clouds the thoughts we have while we try to receive an education.
Not too long ago, I sat down in my astronomy class and was presented with a lesson that was not part of the curriculum. My teacher proposed that we have a 'candid discussion,' in order to ensure mine and my classmates' safety. We had an open exchange about situations involving an active shooter roaming the halls of our school. During this, I experienced overwhelming anxiety about what my role would be in these situations, if I was truly brave enough to stand up to a shooter, how fast I could run, if I was strong enough to break through a window, and where my little sister would be in the building during every moment of the day. These are not thoughts that a child should be having.
Walking through a crowded hallway is like playing a real-life version of Clue: who's the killer, what object will they use, what room will they be in, when will they strike? I should not have to prepare myself to throw my books in the face of a student with a loaded gun in order to protect my life. I should not have to spot objects in my classrooms that would help me break through a window to escape. I should not have to fear for my life while I am learning.
This is the reality of the education system across America. We chose to walk out on the morning of March 14 not to get out of class or to be part of a fad, but instead, we raised our voices in unity in the fight against gun violence. There is nothing else for us to do as minors except protest, and until the adults stand up and speak out for the safety of the youth of the country, more students will continue to die. Change starts with funding to programs in elementary schools that benefit troubled children in order to prevent the raising of future shooters, it begins when the government enforces laws to prevent children from getting their hands on weapons, and it occurs when bullying is truly eliminated from school settings.
Students walked out because we have nothing left. We are relying on you to take action for the children of this nation. For America to have a future, the lives of American children must be protected. Change starts with action, and I hope this movement will end in peace.
Rachel Basela is a senior at Warren-Mott High School.
