VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) -- Wednesday at 10 a.m. thousands of students nationwide plan to walk out of class in protest of gun violence. The movement, which is called 'Enough,' has sparked debate in Hampton Roads.
Most school districts, like Virginia Beach Public Schools, are neither encouraging nor discouraging the walkout. Virginia Beach Public Schools Spokesperson Lauren Nolasco said any students who leave class to participate will receive an unexcused absence.
During Tuesday’s Virginia Beach school board meeting students and parents spoke about how the school board is mishandling the movement.
“We will continue fighting until we as students can feel safe walking through our hallways again, change is our purpose but to protest is our right,” said David Abrigo of First Colonial High School.
Abrigo blasted the Virginia Beach School Board for not supporting the nationwide walkout.
“By telling us that we are going to have an unexcused absence by participating it feels like they are discouraging us,” said Abrigo.
However, another First Colonial student named Alison is equally as mad that the school board doesn’t go on record prohibiting the walk out.
“As a student, I feel like allowing these walkouts is extremely inappropriate,” said Alison.
Alison said those students choosing not to participate in the movement feel ostracized.
“I understand that students should be able to speak their minds, but on school property during school hours is not the time or the place,” said Alison.
Other students said this walkout is the only way to spark real change.
“With your current course of action, I’m worried nothing will be done until it’s too late. We cannot all agree on what causes these tragedies but what we can all agree on is that something needs to be done,” said a student named Liam.
There is another group of students and parents that don’t look at the walkout as a protest but a memorial. The walkout is scheduled to last 17 minutes, one for each victim of the Florida school shooting. Many schools will also be reading out the names of those victims.
Parent Rebecca Caffrey plans to participate with her second grader.
“We are going to go to a local high school and we are going to stand there and be there in solidarity, quiet, solemn, solidarity, with the students to express our support for them,” said Caffrey.
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