On Wednesday the 14th of March, upwards of 100 students participated in the student-led walkout. Recognizing that this number is low in terms of the population at MHS, we were inspired to ask the non-participating students their reasons for staying in class.

Although the students expressed their opinions in many different ways, they all agreed that each victim of the Parkland shooting, as well as every other shooting, should have their lives honored.

Wanting to remain anonymous out of respect, a senior explained that “the participation in the walkout shouldn’t be a protest about gun control. People are also ignoring that things are being done on a legislative level regarding control on guns.”

Senior Justin Gray said that he “[didn’t] understand what they [were] trying to accomplish.”

While some students chose not to participate in the walkout, some did; however, they felt misled by the true purpose of the event. Senior Seth Brunkow said, “I think it’s a whole lot better for the moment of silence, instead of protesting gun control. I feel like it would be better for the victims, and it’s a more mature action especially for high school students.”

Riley Gilbert, a junior, added that “When I figured out that it wasn’t seventeen minutes of silence, I thought it was dumb. It [isn’t] the gun’s fault, it’s the people’s fault.”