ADDISON COUNTY — In response to the deadly school shooting in Florida on Valentine’s Day, and the inaction of lawmakers to take steps to curb gun violence, several local schools are planning protests this Wednesday, to coincide with national school walkouts.
The Mount Abraham Student Activism club at Mount Abraham Union High School in Bristol has planned a protest at the Bristol town park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday. The event is student-led, but all members of the community are welcome to come and protest gun violence in America.
Student organizers expect to have representatives of Vermont lawmakers on hand, as well as voter registration, educational booths, opportunities to create art, guest speakers, and petitions for change.
In Middlebury, the Middlebury Union High School Student Senate has planned events, including a gathering on the circle in front of the school at 9:25 a.m. During this gathering of 17 minutes, the names of the 17 victims from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida will be read.
After that, MUHS students may choose to walk to the Cross Street Bridge where they will be joining Middlebury College students from 10–10:17 a.m. During the lunch periods, the MUHS Student Senate will sponsor a “communication campaign” to write letters to politicians promoting school safety concerns.
No word for similar activities at Vergennes Union High School or Otter Valley Union High School were available at press time. Anyone who has information on such student activities is asked to contact us by email at [email protected].