Passing the Baton To the Future
The trickle of students quickly turned into an energetic throng as hundreds poured out of Meyzeek Middle School for the National School Walkout on March 14, 2018. I stood on the field as other onlookers gathered around the perimeter of Meyzeek’s campus in support, waiting to hear from the students who assembled, with signs clutched in their hands — including one that read, “Gun Control Now, No More Violence, Actions Speak Louder Than Words.”
At Meyzeek, the #NationalSchoolWalkout was led by the Justice League, a student group that is dedicated to promoting the principles of social, environmental and economic justice, and respect for everyone. They led the charge for students to join others across the nation, walking out of the classroom as a show of solidarity for the 17 victims and students of the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, Florida. Just a few weeks before the shooting in Parkland, Kentucky had a school shooting at Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky which claimed the lives of two students.
The Justice League worked for weeks to determine their response and reasons for wanting to participate in the National School Walkout stating:
1. We want to stand in support and solidarity with students at Stoneman Douglas and Marshall County High School.
2. We are standing up for peace and justice.
3. We understand that as students we can be affected by gun violence.
4. We would like Kentucky leadership — Mayor Fischer, Governor Bevin, JCPS Staff and Administration to understand our concerns and make sure that all Kentucky schools are a safe environment for students to thrive.
They sent a letter to JCPS Superintendent Dr. Martin Pollio requesting that students not be disciplined for participating in the walkout and met with Meyzeek administration to state their reasons for wanting to be a part of this event. The students were poised, well-spoken and clear on their intentions. As students, they want to feel safe in their schools.
We begin to cheer and clap, as the students prepared to share why they’ve had enough.
With a bullhorn in hand members of the Justice League stood on the bed of a truck parked on the field and spoke truth to power. “We are tired of turning on the TV and hearing, ‘School shooting. Multiple dead and injured. We are tired of seeing no action from the government other than tweets sending their regards. This ends now!” Sharvani Chittem exclaimed.
Arsh Tak-khan asked the crowd, “Who is going to be next?”
“When someone says a new school shooting has happened, it just becomes regular news. The weather forecast is regular news,” Kira Pongyaht stated.
“We are sick and tired of the violence. We are sick and tired of bullying. We are sick and tired of oppression. We are sick and tired of unsafe school. From Louisville, Kentucky to California, to Florida, we want to say that we, the students of Meyzeek, really care about the students across our country that have been gunned down!” Denim Moore said. Moore than encouraged the students to get more involved in their local government and learn about Senate Bill 103 filed by Senator Steve West and is also sponsored by Senator Stephen Meredith (R, District 5) and Senator Ralph Alvaro (R, District 28), that allows public school boards and private schools to add designated persons to carry firearms, possibly a teacher or staff member to be school marshals.
Their declarations were met with claps and cheers from the crowd as cars drove by honking their horns encouraging the students for standing up. As an advisor for the Justice League, I couldn’t have been prouder of the students. At the beginning of the school year, the Justice League started as a small club that sought to teach a young group of students about critical local and global social justice issues, like poverty, hunger, racial segregation, urban violence, environmental destruction, and other forms of inequality and injustice. Watching them put everything they learned into practice was remarkable. I watched young students become young leaders. I watched the future unfold before my eyes, and it was beautiful. That day we passed on the baton to young leaders that are determined to make this world a better place, one where all people can live a life of justice.
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Meyzeek Middle School #NationalSchoolWalkout featured in USA Today
The Justice League is a collaboration between IDEAS xLab Project HEAL and Meyzeek Middle School. Supported by teachers Petia Edison, Christopher Rasheed and Meyzeek Middle School Teachers. IDEAS xLab Advisors are ShawnNika Queen, Chris Radtke, and Hannah Drake.
