Iowa City Student Group Tackles Gun Control
Passionate youth are demanding reform to make schools more safe
Iowa City high school students have had enough. On February 19th, they walked out of school to protest policies which enabled a 19 year-old to murder 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida with an AR-15. The attack occurred two weeks ago today. Since then, a group of students wanted to make sure that the Parkland tragedy and conversations about gun reform do not fade from public dialogue as the 2018 midterm elections rapidly approach.
In the days leading up to the city-wide student walkout, almost everyone knew it was going to happen; it was all over social media. However, the walkout had no leader. The night before the walkout was scheduled to occur, several students got together to make sure the protest had some structure so students felt confident enough to leave school and make their voice heard. Thus, Students Against School Shootings was born.
Students Against School Shootings (SASS) is an advocacy group that is 100% student-organized. They have already hosted voter registration events and letter writing campaigns and are planning more events in the near future.
We asked Teagan Roeder, a representative of SASS, what makes their group different:
“The fact that we’re students helping lead the way to meaningful gun control legislation in our country is showing how much we care about this issue. We’re extremely passionate youth who want to turn this moment into a movement.”
I am 33 years old, and I can’t remember a time when high school students seemed this activated about any social issue. The march toward gun control seems to be marching to a different beat. Collective memory of past shootings has faded quickly, and with it, interest in pursuing meaningful policy changes. Available data supports the conclusion that this time may be different. Across the country, student groups like SASS are keeping the topic in the public conversation and awakening adults in the process. Only time will tell if the movement has staying power, but it seems certain that the gun rights vs. gun control debate will play a part in the upcoming 2018 elections.
Can Students Really Make A Change?
In the past, some have claimed that the Millenials and members of Generation Z are more narcissistic than previous generations because they, among other things, constantly share images of themselves on social media. SASS’s community-oriented youth belie that stereotype; they are taking a stand to make their community better. For SASS, this fight is bigger than each of them as individuals. Victor Kalil and Teagan Roeder elaborate:
We’re trying to keep our schools safe, which in turn will keep our communities safe…We’ve grown up with school shootings and it’s time to say enough is enough. We’re going to demand reform on gun control since our politicians keep failing to pass laws to keep us safe.
Even though the organization is only comprised of teenagers, SASS has a mission that will outlast them. Many of their members are graduating high school this year or the next and likely won’t see the impact of gun reform as it relates to high schools. However, they know that the work they do today will help future generations feel safe and focus on what school is all about: learning.
[We are] working towards #NeverAgain — we want to prevent future mass shootings in our country, especially ones within schools… We’re excited to be involved with a movement that can bring some real change to our nation and save lives.
Along with student groups around the country, Students Against School Shootings has planned a March for Our Lives in Iowa City on March 24 at 11AM.
Congratulations from ActWorthy to the Core Members of SASS on stepping confidently into the public sphere: Bihotza James-Lejarcegui, Theo Prineas, Olivia Lusala, Nick Pyror, Wala Siddig, Edie Knoop, Lujayn Hamad, Nina Lavezzo-Stecopoulos, Victor Kalil, Shayna Jaskolka, Mira Bohannan Kumar, Phoebe Chapnick-Sorokin, Zoë Butler, Esti Brady, Mary Liebig, Safeya Siddig, Maya Durham, Teagan Roeder, and Nina Elkadi. Standing up for what you believe in takes courage, regardless of your age. From the entire ActWorthy team, we are proud of you for inspiring young people to join the democratic process!
Want to support these outstanding students? Check out their other actions on ActWorthy and RSVP for the March for Our Lives on March 24.
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