NEW HANOVER COUNTY—“Today is your day to be heard.”
That’s the introduction of an instructional flyer, given to New Hanover County School students, ahead of the “National School Walkout.” Nationwide, school “walk outs” were organized by the national group Women’s March Youth EMPOWER and adopted at the local level.
New Hanover County Schools, however, went in a different direction. It co-opted the idea of the national movement and came up with one of its own: “My 17.”
“My 17” was created to honor the 17 lives lost during the mass shooting in a high school in Parkland, Florida, last month.
National walk outs
The Women’s March Youth EMPOWER provided a toolkit for student, teachers, staff and community members to follow in organizing local walk outs.
“We want Congress to pay attention and take note; many of us will vote this November and many others will flood the polls in 2020,” the toolkit states.
A political instruction manual, it uses the hashtag #enough in reference to the phrase “enough is enough,” a message to the National Rifle Association.
Though both campaigns were scheduled for the same time — 10 a.m. on Tuesday —Valita Quattlebaum, spokeswoman for New Hanover County Schools, said “My 17” was not part of the national movement.
“The national Women’s March Youth EMPOWER was not considered,” Quattlebaum wrote in an email.
My 17
“My 17” included a script and activities for middle and high school teachers to guide students through NHCS’ anti-violence campaign. At 10 a.m., the time of the “National School Walkout” campaign, teachers were told to offer My 17 activities as an “alternative” to the national school walk out.
Activities included a poster contest, a “written expression” contest and a safety and violence questionnaire.
Quattlebaum said the questionnaire and activities, organized by the NHCS Student Support Services Division, would gather data and “get students involved in the kick off of our anti-violence campaign.”
“Aside from the safety survey, most activities would have to be completed by students outside of school time,” Quattlebaum wrote. “So participation in ‘My 17’ was voluntary.”
Walk outs
“How will you spend Your 17?” the flyer asked.
Students were encouraged to spend 17 minutes completing the suggested activities.
Despite these suggestions, it appears many students selected to participate in the “National School Walkout” instead.
According to an internal email from New Hanover High School, staff was instructed to not participate or encourage any type of political demonstration.
As public employees, New Hanover High School teachers are expected to remain apolitical. It’s unknown whether staff at other high schools were also given the same apolitical instructions.
A young movement
Whether walk outs were choreographed nationally or not, an assistant UNCW political science professor says it doesn’t matter.
“How it was organized, whether it was top down, it doesn’t really matter is because what matters is getting people engaged,” Taylor said.
Historically, individuals ages 18-24 have lower political participation when compared to other age groups.
“Of all groups in American politics, this is the group that is most likely not to participate, and they are participating,” Taylor said. “Regardless of how that process happened, the idea that these students did this, that they wanted to do it, shows that they have a level of efficacy that we don’t often attribute to people their age.”
This is how @WillistonTigers walks out to support the 17 lives taken in Florida. #EndGunViolence #my17 #spreadkindness #unitedfront @NewHanoverCoSch pic.twitter.com/buL3XNny4c
— Jill Larson (@Jill713) March 14, 2018
Trask Bears link arms and unite to honor the victims of the Parkland, FL school shooting. @traskbears @NewHanoverCoSch #EndGunViolence #My17 pic.twitter.com/h8qcvfYlR4
— Michelle Faison (@mfaisonAP) March 14, 2018
#CharlesPMurray Linking arms to unite in support of school safety for a 17 second moment of silence. #My17 @psutton729 @kclark166 pic.twitter.com/YlC4TPBavL
— Deanna Leake (@DeannaLeake) March 14, 2018
Love students taking a stand and being PEACEFUL! Whether you walked out or stayed in class to have a healthy conversation….LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD! @NewHanoverCoSch @KristaCHolland1 @UNCWWatsonEd @RobinMeiers #ENOUGH #MY17 pic.twitter.com/CHyUachTUp
— Kimberly Y. Fullard (@wiseowl2ndgrade) March 14, 2018
Johanna Ferebee can be reached at johanna@localvoicemedia.com or @j__ferebee on Twitter
