Central Coast students warned not to ‘walk out’ during nationwide protest Wednesday

Students at schools and universities across the country will walk out of class Wednesday, to participate in what’s predicted to be the largest call to action for gun control.

“Its very important for the students to participate in meaningful opportunities to have their voice heard,” said Monterey County Superintendent of Schools, Nancy Kotowski.

However having their voice heard does not mean getting up and walking out of class, even though that’s what the nationwide protest calls for.

“Right now they’ve told us that if we do walk off of campus they will mark us absent and truant. But they are giving us alternatives,” said Salinas High School Senior Bryan.

“They were telling us that if you are a senior and marked truant then you can’t graduate, but I feel like it is a good cause,” said Salinas High School Senior Jennifer.

From Monterey County to Santa Cruz county educators have set up activities in place of walk outs.

“So I know that our schools and districts have been working with student leadership to plan for this 17 minute period,” said Kotowski.

“At one of our high schools the ASB is holding a compassion rally, another site is holding an open mic on the front steps of the building. Although the law affords student the right to free speech it is not legal for us to allow students to cut class ” said Santa Cruz City Superintendent Kris Munro.

But when the clock strikes 10:00 a.m.—only then will time tell what the students decide to do.

“I was thinking about going to the debate, but she was telling me that we should just do the walkout. And a lot of people say they are going to meet in front of the school and go from there,” said Jennifer.

The Santa Cruz City Schools Board of Education recently approved a resolution that calls on state and federal legislators to ban the sale of assault weapons and high capacity ammunition.

Read that full resolution here.