March for Our Lives pushes for gun reform
April 2, 2018
As part of March for Our Lives, students, teachers and parents protested school shootings and demanded legislative changes. On March 24, over 800 marches were held across the world, one of which took place in downtown Houston.
Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School developed the idea for March for Our Lives following the Parkland school shooting. The main march was held in Washington, D.C. and was organized by students from Never Again MSD, a group that advocates for stricter gun control laws. According to junior Jaya Krishnan, who attended the march, it is important for students to take a stand because this issue affects all schools.
“Our generation has a lot more power than we think,” Krishnan said. “We are lucky to go to such an amazing school, so we should use that to try and make a difference.”
From left: juniors Sakura Grant, Julia Hoff, Katherine Granberry and Aidan Propst march with their signs.
Although Krishnan believes that St. John’s is a safe place and does not feel threatened during school, she believes that all students should stand in solidarity.
“It’s cool that people are standing up and calling for some type of legislative change so that they don’t have to fear going to school,” Krishnan said. “I don’t necessarily have that fear, but I think, as a nation, we need to do something.”
Freshman Piper Edwards, who also attended the March for Our Lives, agrees that students need to advocate for change.
“This issue is important because it impacts people our age across the country, so we need to do our part to make sure it stops,” Edwards said.
Leaders from the Young Conservatives Club and Young Liberals Organization encouraged students to take part in March for Our Lives by bringing a sign-up sheet to their meetings. Krishnan acknowledges that gun control walkouts and marches are not acts of protest against St. John’s.
Junior Jackson Edwards registers at the march.
“It’s important for students to get involved with these movements, not to protest schools or the administration, but to show support for what the movement stands for,” Krishnan said.
Freshman Carolyn DePinho believes it is students’ responsibility to bring about change in gun laws.
“It is important that students step up because we live in fear of a school shooting occurring at our own school,” DePinho said. “We dictate what our future will be.”
