On March 14, students across the country participated in the National School Walkout. The goal of the walkout is to bring awareness to the issue of preventable gun violence and mass shootings nationwide. Many Greenville County students intended to organize walkouts, but there was some hesitation from GCS administration to allow these events. In the days before the walkouts, GCS finally allowed the students to participate, but did not allow media to attend and cover the event. Many people believed that this action was limiting to the true meaning of the event and that it was silencing the young voices of the movement.

CCES allowed students to participate in a form of a walkout. In the spirit of the other participating schools, students left their classes at 9:57 if they chose to observe the event. The CCES administration, in cooperation with a group of students, decided that it would be best to treat the event as more of a vigil to show condolences to the victims and their families. During the vigil, students gathered in the chapel and sat quietly for 17 minutes. Each minute, a name of a parkland victim was read by a group of student leaders. Immediately following the silent vigil, students who had remained in their classes streamed into the chapel and a normal Wednesday chapel service began.

While some people were happy that the walk out would be free from political opinions, others thought that it is the time to have a conversation about the issue. Some of the CCES community voiced their concern over the fact that removing a political discussion diluted the purpose of the walk out. For other schools, this was a way to make a statement about gun safety to administrators and lawmakers, and to show their support for the cause that parkland survivors are fighting for. However, more people felt included in the event by this attempt to remove its political connotation.

For those interested in participating in more events related to the National School Walkout, there will be a March For Our Lives in Washington DC, as well as in smaller towns and cities. Greenville’s March For Our Lives on March 24 in downtown Greenville. For more information, visit the Greenville March For Our Lives Facebook page.