By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Hundreds of Bowling Green High School students walked out of school this morning (March 14) at 10:00 to protest gun violence.
The student-led protests against gun violence come a month after the Valentine’s Day attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 students and teachers. The BGHS walkout was to last 17 minutes in their honor.
Jacob Fausnaugh likened it to the protests against the Vietnam War. In the 20 years since the shootings at Columbine more people have died from gun violence than American troops died in the Vietnam War, he said.
“They walked out for that, we walked out for this.”
Alyson Baker, one of the organizers of the walkout, said shortly before the protest was scheduled to begin that she expected about 100 students to take part. When students started streaming out of the school it was clear participation was much greater.
The crowd that gathered near the spirit rock in front of the school appeared to be several hundred strong.
Baker said the response from fellow students had been mixed. “Some people think it won’t do anything.” Still she said she expected to see many students coming out to say otherwise.
Gun violence is “essentially an epidemic,” she said.
Baker also noted the crowd of about 100 supportive community members lining the sidewalk near the school.
School administrators and Bowling Green police kept the community members and media off school property.
Baker said the school administration “has supported us the entire way.”
“They’ve been a tremendous help.”
(This story will be updated.)
