In solidarity with students across the United States of America, on Friday morning about 40 Begbie View Elementary students walked out on gun violence. After School District 19 teacher Sarah Newton delivered a heartfelt address, the grade five and seven classes observed a minute of silence.
“It is an important lesson in life to stand up for what is right and that is what we’re doing here today,” said Newton before the circle of students who had assembled at 10:05 a.m. “It is one thing to watch the news and feel compassion for our fellow students in the United States, but it is far better to do something to show them our support in their fight for safe schools.”
Related: US Students stage school walkouts to protest gun violence
Newton, who organized the moment of silence, is the social justice representative of the Revelstoke Teachers Association.
She said she’s grateful to be part of a school district that encourages critical thinking, and that she was motivated to organize the event after seeing her students engage with some of the events unfolding in the U.S.
“It’s really hard as a teacher to see kids talking about this issue and critically thinking about it and yet having no way to express their ideas,” said Newton.
American students have walked out across the united states of America this week to demand safer schools and protest gun violence.
Students from the elementary to college level have staged protests.
The protests come as a response to a school shooting in Florida last month, during which 17 students lost their lives.
The local act of solidarity comes in the same week that BC Green party leader Andrew Weaver re-introduced a private members bill for the third time to lower the voting age in B.C. to 16.
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