Students join movement

Students presented speeches, staged die-in protests, advocated for reform policy and remembered those killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School by Nikolas Cruz, who opened fire one month ago with an AR-15 which he purchased legally despite exhibiting a history of mental illness.

The tragedy inspired students across the country to participate in a rally organized by the Women’s March Youth EMPOWER intended to raise awareness regarding school safety and gun control, which officials said local students joined reverentially.

San Mateo County Superintendent Anne Campbell said in email she was pleased with the students’ maturity, when they joined the rally lasting 17 minutes at 10 a.m.

“We are very proud of our students for uniting and standing up to support safe schools. The student leadership in this county and across the country has been so impressive,” she said.

Jane Yuster, superintendent of the Cabrillo Unified School District, shared a similar sentiment regarding middle schoolers and high school students in her district.

“Truly we are in good hands for the next generation, and if anyone wants to see it, it’s at a moment like this when they are so mature,” she said. “Truly they understand where they are. I was so proud.”

Some students in Yuster’s district designed signs calling to stop the violence and hosted an organized demonstration on the football field near Highway 1, from where drivers offered recognition and support. Others gathered in their school’s common area to recognize those killed in Florida. In all instances, students dispersed after and returned to class, she said.

“I just couldn’t be prouder,” said Yuster.

Mary Streshly, superintendent of the Sequoia Union High School District, expressed admiration for her students’ behavior as well.

“I can report that everything that is right about our district was exhibited today in the manner our students conducted themselves throughout the day,” Streshly said in an email.

High schoolers were told to stay on campus during the rally, and some left, said Streshly, but those who disobeyed acted maturely and respectfully.

In the San Mateo Union High School District, spokeswoman Sheri Costa too said ralliers acted appropriately and adhered to officials’ request to stay on campus during the demonstration.

High schools throughout the county largely held gun reform demonstrations, while many middle schools focused on building lesson plans around the issues of the day. While bell schedules were shifted in the upper grades to accommodate the rallies, elementary schools were mostly insulated from the events, barring practicing school safety protocol, according to Patricia Love, spokeswoman for the San Mateo County Office of Education. Participation was not mandatory in the events, while administrators and teachers aimed to avoid organizing the rallies.

Ryan Sebers, spokesman for the South San Francisco Unified School District, said students behaved appropriately too.

“Our students and staff were exemplary, participating in and facilitating the activities as planned for today,” he said in an email. “The engagement opportunities for students were effective and students respectfully remained on campus. All activities remained peaceful and well organized with minimal disruption to the school day.”

For Yuster, she said the students’ behavior reflected positively not only on themselves, but the larger community.

“Our job is to put out an educated citizenry,” she said. “And that education is not just of core academics, but of moral and social obligations as members of a democracy. And today, our young students demonstrated that.”

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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