On September 5th, an estimated 250 schools participated in a national walkout supporting gun violence prevention. Portage Northern answered the call, with nearly 100 students walking out of class at 10am to participate in the walkout. Led by junior Riya Bhatt and sophomore Madeleine Duhn, the students walked down Milham Avenue with signs, chanting the importance of ending gun violence and promoting gun safety.
The walkout was part of a larger protest day hosted by the national group Students Demand Action (SDA), the student-led branch of Everytown for Gun Safety, which helps to “organize young activists” to “end gun violence in their communities.” According to the Bloomberg School of Health at Johns Hopkins University, “firearms remain the leading cause of death for children and teens and disproportionately affect people of color.” The report also shared that for the fourth straight year, firearms killed more children and teens (ages 1 to 17) than any other cause including car crashes and cancer. “I think that lawmakers need to address the problems of school shootings most of all,” Bhatt says. Bhatt and Duhn followed SDA’s call for action, arranging PN’s walkout in coordination with the organization’s national walkout day.
“Leading this walkout truly meant so much to me because gun violence affects everyone, and especially students,” says Bhatt. “We need to show our passion and commitment to a cause, because we are the future, and we are the generation that can change all the gun violence.” Bhatt and Duhn were the speakers, with Duhn highlighting the deaths in past years due to gun violence. “Seeing the realization of the depth of the problem on people’s faces was moving, as it showed that us students care about it and are passionate for change,” she says.
Out of the 100 students that walked out, many expressed their own beliefs about the walkout’s purpose. Junior Dallen Ekola-Labra shares the importance of showing up, saying, “Participating in today’s walkout means standing up for something that matters to me and to my generation. It’s not just about leaving class, it’s about showing that students want to feel safe in schools, and we’re willing to use our voices to call for change.” He elaborates: “For me, it’s a way to turn fear and frustration into action.” Senior Omar Elghaway agrees, saying, “I think that walking out is a way to manifest your beliefs and actually take action. And a lot of people might say that it’s not going to do anything. That there’s no difference, but the fact that they’re even talking about it. This proves their point because it’s raising awareness and it’s a form of protest.” He clarifies: “A lot of people also say that it’s just not right to skip school, but during the Civil Rights movement, it was not right to protest against, I guess, like the Montgomery bus laws. And yet, they protested, because that’s the whole point, is that you can’t bend to their system and you have to have some civil disobedience as long as it’s peaceful, I support it.”
On the flipside, some students chose not to participate for contrasting reasons. One of the reasons being the fear of judgment. “I was going to do the walkout if other people in my class did,” freshman Alexis Peterson says. “Since no one else did, I didn’t want to because it is a small class, so it’s really noticeable if I leave. I completely support the idea and cause for the walkout, though.” Other students didn’t know the walkout was happening. “I did not walk out because I didn’t even know about it until I got home,” freshman Declan Bonnie shares. According to the organizers, Bhatt and Duhn, because the school could not sanction the walkout, they weren’t able to communicate with many students. “We were not able to put up posters at all, so our only communication method was through Instagram and word of mouth,” Duhn explains.
While students participated and walked out in support of gun violence protection, NHS staff also work in favor of student safety. “PN does a phenomenal job at practicing lockdowns and taking advice that’s given to them from outside entities, law enforcement, or anybody else,” Portage Police Department school resource officer Kevin Burleson says. “We do a great job on me going into classrooms, talking about ALICE, talking about barricading, it is phenomenal.” Burleson also makes himself available to students and teachers who want to learn more about school safety. “I give lectures to educate people about signs that they might see so they can stop it in the future,” he says. When concerns rise, Burleson assists by “[helping] administration do threat assessments and to figure out what’s going on, and I’ll respond quickly and effectively.”
Teachers agree with Burleson’s statement that the school takes measures to reduce threats of gun violence. History teacher Allison Grattan says, “Our staff is very vigilant, and we have done a lot of training over the years so we can be as prepared as possible in case of an emergency here. I feel safe at PN, though I do think that security with entrances/exits could be stronger in any building with as many doors as we have.” Assistant principal Dylan Patterson shares that the school is taking more steps to increase the safety and security at PN. A new rule at the school, taking place at the start of the 2nd quarter, will require students to wear their student IDs. “When you’re at some place and there’s a rule that you disagree with, there’s probably a reason that rule exists, and it’s because, at some point, they may not have thought it was a problem until it was,” Patterson expresses.
Choir teacher Chelsea Whiteoak recognizes another side of gun violence: when the access to guns enables self-harm. “Early in my career, I lost a student to suicide with a firearm. While their situation was unique, the ripple effect on our school and community was lasting,” Whiteoak explains, adding, “PN places a strong emphasis on building relationships, fostering community, and prioritizing safety.”
When it comes to addressing the fight against gun violence, Grattan says, “I suggest reaching out to our state government members and our US Senators and Representatives. You can write them and leave voice messages so they can hear your opinions and concerns.” History teacher Joseph Wood adds that he believes students can raise awareness and make a change. “For any issue, it might be talking to legislators, it might be going to the people who make the decisions, and sometimes, it’s just about raising awareness for that issue,” he says. Additionally, in terms of administration, Patterson highlights the educational value of student activism. “I think it’s important for students to learn how to use their voice and do it in the right ways,” he says.
While the walkout is over at PN, Riya Bhatt and Madeleine Duhn, with the help of Joseph Wood as an advisor, are continuing the action. Huskies Demand Action, a new club whose first meeting is this week, will continue fighting against gun violence. The club focuses on educating students and the community, as well as contacting lawmakers and engaging in more forms of political action. “I think that as students, [they are] the one voice in the debate that does not have a vote. It’s important to give young people a way to participate in the Democratic process,” Wood states. Students who are interested in joining the cause can come to the club’s first meeting on Wednesday, September 17th, from 2:45 pm to 3:15 pm in room 2.122.