On Friday afternoon, hundreds of students from Madison East and Madison West High Schools walked out and marched to the state capitol to protest the lack of gun safety laws and to express the fear they have for their own lives:
Hundreds of students from East & West high schools in Madison walked out of classes Friday and marched to the Capitol.
In reaction to the Abundant Life school shooting, students called for stronger gun control measures, increased mental health resources + an end to gun violence. pic.twitter.com/XyE52VxEPg
— The Capital Times (@CapTimes) December 20, 2024
Hundreds of Madison high school students walked out of classes Friday afternoon and marched to the state Capitol building in response to Monday’s shooting at Abundant Life Christian School.
Students from West High School chanted “no more silence, end gun violence” and “books, not bullets” during their nearly three-mile route to the Capitol. East High School and La Follette High School students joined them in front of the building, where speakers called for stronger gun control measures and increased mental health resources in schools.
Many students said they were compelled to speak out because they no longer felt safe going to school. Others said they felt desensitized to gun violence because of school shootings in the past year alone.
Some elected officials, all Democrats, were there to meet with and speak to the students, including one of my personal favorite state reps, Francesca Hong:
Some state lawmakers offered remarks to the student protestors, including Rep. Francesca Hong, Sen. Kelda Roys, Rep. Shelia Stubbs and Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski.
“Because my colleagues and politicians across the country refuse to take action on gun violence and safety, they are endorsing mass murder,” Hong said. “To the Republicans across the country, I say f— your thoughts and prayers.”
Apparently, but not surprisingly, no Republican lawmakers met with the students. Presumably, they were all off to the bank to cash their checks from the NRA.