Walking The Talk

By Jamie Swinnerton
Tompkins Weekly

 

On March 14, at 10 in the morning across all United States time zones, hundreds of thousands of American students will walk out of their class to say enough is enough when it comes to gun violence. For 17 minutes these students, as well as teachers and members of the administrations, will talk about how gun violence has affected them, and what they can do about it. Of the thousands of schools participating, Newfield High School will be among them.

Following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that resulted in 17 people dead several weeks ago, something was different. These victims did not fade from the media lights, they ran toward them. Now, they’ve started a movement and inspired today’s young people, who will be tomorrow’s voters. Among the inspired are Newfield High School senior Caitlin Howell, and sophomore Lena Kennell. Together these two worked with the school administration to organize their own school walkout in conjunction with the National School Walkout movement.

“When I first heard about the Parkland shooting I was very upset about it,” Howell said. “I saw some interviews with some of the kids who were involved with it and it was just heartbreaking to see this keep happening.”

After hearing about the Parkland shooting, Howell said one of her first thoughts was ‘Oh another school shooting.’ She realized this scenario had happened so often that it was starting to feel normal. Instead of letting it feel normal, Howell discussed the National School Walkout movement with Kennell and they decided it was time to do something.

“Newfield has never really had a lot of politically charged things,” Howell said. “We haven’t had a lot of people stand up and speak out for something they believe in.”

For Kennell, the motivations were similar. She too thought ‘Another one?’ when told about the recent Parkland shooting.

“It’s sad how normal gun violence has become in our student’s daily lives,” Kennell said. “We’re all scared about it in our day-to-day lives, but it’s not something that we actively think about or worry about because it’s just so normal.”

The students contacted the administration to let them know they intended to organize a walkout and they didn’t want a fight with the school. They also didn’t want students who would be willing to participate in a walkout be deterred if there were potential negative repercussions from the administration if they did so. Howell sat down with Newfield High School principal Matthew Ryan, and the school district superintendent Cheryl Thomas several times to hash out the parameters and message of the walkout. One thing was clear, administration didn’t want the walkout to have a political lean, the message had to be bipartisan.

“When senseless tragedies occur, such as the ones in Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, we are deeply saddened and our hearts go out to the families and communities in those areas. We will be walking, as a district, on March 14th in memory of the 17 victims most recently killed as well as in memory of all of the students and adults who have been victims of violence in schools across the country and across the years,” Thomas said in the administration’s official statement. “This is not a political activity; it is a human activity. It is not a protest. It is a teachable-moment as students learn empathy and the importance of being a part of the solution: of speaking up when they see bullying, of being appropriate on social media sites, of going the extra mile to make others feel welcome and appreciated and of speaking up when they see someone in need of help.”

To humanize the issue, bios of all 17 victims of the Parkland shooting will be read aloud. To personalize it, every school shooting that has occurred since the current Newfield High School seniors were in kindergarten will be read aloud.

For Howell and Kennell, the message they want to convey is not about Democrat or Republican, it’s about education. After the walkout participants gather outside, the students will give opening statements to address why everyone is there: gun violence in schools.

“Then, we’re going to be discussing all of the possible solutions,” Howell said. “Basically, the main point of this walkout is a call for action. It’s been proven time and time again that inaction is not an option.”

As part of that education and call to action students will be given a list of their local congressional representatives they can call.

“We are the next voting group,” Kennell said. “We are moving up. We will have the most say in politics in the next coming years and I think that it’s important that we’re well informed so that we can make changes in policies and affect our political climate.”

While discussing the idea of organizing a walkout, Howell and Kennell turned to someone they knew they could trust, who would help them figure out the best way to get this done. Brandon Steinorth is the district’s only government teacher, as well as the coach for the girls’ basketball team.

“I think on a national level this is a movement of students and a movement of kids,” Steinorth said. “I think one of the messages is that over the decades, adults have failed us with their inaction, therefore, at least for 17 minutes on one day kids are going to take action that potentially adults have failed to do.”

Steinorth classified his involvement as “way out on the periphery,” and mostly involved asking the students questions to focus them. Why did they want to do this? What message do you want people to walk away with? What are the pros and cons of coming up with a plan with the administration for this? Are they aware that there may be repercussions if they don’t follow school protocol? But ultimately the action is being led, and taken, by the students.

Both Kennell and Howell credit Steinorth with helping them be independent thinkers, coming to their own conclusions after asking the relevant questions. Kennell plans to go into politics after college, and even has her eye on a seat in public office someday. Howell plans on getting into communications, in part because she has a knack for connecting people. Steinorth isn’t surprised his students decided to get involved in the national movement.

“We’ve got a lot of kids here who are very aware of different things going on nationally, very interested in things going on nationally,” Steinorth said. “I think one of the neat things about Newfield, as far as political views go, I think of maybe all of the schools in Tompkins County there’s a very diverse range of political opinion.”
Following the walkout it’s unclear how the conversation around gun violence will continue in Newfield. Howell said there is a possibility of an assembly to help students understand warning signs for someone in trouble, or who could be potentially dangerous. On March 24, Howell and Kennell and possibly more students will be travelling to Washington D.C. to take part in the March For Our Lives.

“This is a very good opportunity to be involved in something on a national level, but also on a local level,” Howell said. “Even though it might seem like we’re not making change here just by walking out from a school in the middle of nowhere, we’re actually being part of a bigger movement.”