Two College of Charleston students studying to be school teachers have organized a campus rally in support of the National School Walkout on Wednesday, March 14, 2018.
The Save Our Students rally will take place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Stern Gardens located behind the Stern Student Center.
Organizers Marisa Downing and Katie LaPierre, both education majors, say they were compelled to act following the shooting that claimed the lives of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. This Wednesday marks the one month anniversary of the tragedy.
“The goal of this event is to get everyone together who share the same goal: to make schools safe,” says Downing. “Katie and I are future educators and we are scared. We’re scared for our future students and we need change. After the Parkland shooting, we decided that enough is enough. We have to listen to these students!”
Teacher education professors Anne Gutshall and Jon Hale are scheduled to speak at the event.
Hundreds of events and rallies are planned across the country this week to protest violence in schools and to pressure lawmakers to act on gun control legislation. The national movement originated with EMPOWER, the youth branch of the Women’s March.
