Haines student council members Morgan Cloke (left) and Keegan Palmieri (right) lead their peers out of class and around the block in a walkout to protest gun violence. (Berett Wilber)

Students at the Haines School joined peers across the country on Wednesday, walking out of class to speak out against gun violence. They left class one month after 17 people were killed in a shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida.

Students gathered on the steps of the Haines School at 10 a.m., joined by members of the community. Keegan Palmieri is a member of the student council. He spoke at the beginning of the student-organized and led walkout.

“Today we’re coming together to show our support for the families of not just those who were influenced in Parkland, but also Las Vegas, Orlando, Sutherland Springs, Columbine, and all other mass shootings past and future. Today we’re walking for change. Today we’re walking toward safer schools, changes towards gun violence. And changes in support of all those affected by shootings – big and small,” he said.

“This is for all the major gun violence tragedies that have happened,” says Palmieri. “We’re showing our support for the families and the people who that has impacted. Haines is such a loving community. We just wanted to come together and say that we’re here for you as well.”

Morgan Cloke read the names of those killed in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14.

Students from Haines School read aloud the names of the seventeen students from Marjorie Douglas Stoneman High in Parkland, Florida, who were shot and killed by a former classmate one month ago. (Berett Wilber)

Cloke said showing leadership was one of the reasons she participated in the walk-out.

“I think there’s a lot of things that still need to occur and happen for big things to change. But I do think this was a good step in the right direction.”

Palmieri asked the crowd to silence cellphones and refrain from talking – to spend 17 minutes in silence in honor of the Parkland victims.

“We’re just going to go walk around the block and come back around,” he said. “And the 17 minutes starts now.”

Around 30 students – from elementary to high school – and many more members of the Haines community, walked out into the rain.

Assemblyman Tom Morphet joined the crowd.

“Young people have a right to believe they have a future. And freedom from fear is as important as any other right in the constitution. And the freedom to have a life,” Morphet said. “The freedom to walk into a school believing you’re not going to be interrupted from learning by a madman.”

Morphet says the student action emphasizes a big problem.

 

Community members follow Haines students in solidarity as they participate in a nationwide student walkout to protest gun violence and school shootings. (Berett Wilber).

“That the students have to walk for this issue to get the attention it deserves is an indictment on adult society,” says Morphet.

The national event was organized by Women’s March Youth Empower. More than 3,100 walkouts took place across the country. That included students in Juneau.

In Haines, Palmieri and Cloke led the walk through downtown and back to the school.

“That’s it,” Palmieri said to the gathering of community members and students. “I just want to thank you all for coming and showing us support for what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to accomplish here. If you’ll excuse us, we have to go back to class.”

The crowd of students filtered back into the Haines School, rejoining their peers and teachers.