Parkland: A Remembrance
By Kiara Walker, Jerome Dekle and Faithe Desinor
Twelve months ago, 17 innocent lives were claimed in the Parkland massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High on Valentines Day. This was a tragedy that not only shook the nation but ignited a movement for change and reform.
Within the last year, students and parents affected by the shooting have come together, formed organizations like March for Our Lives, and worked to push for stronger gun control legislation in hopes of making sure that incidents in Parkland and many others across the nation cease to happen again.
Even though a year has passed, many individuals still have a hard time accepting the events that occurred only 16 miles away from campus. There seems to be a common tone of disbelief and sorrow among students here at FAU as the memories from that heart-wrenching day dominate what was once a holiday celebrating love and affection for one another.
Jakai Linwood, 18, a criminal justice major, was still in high school when the shooting occurred. Although he was 30 minutes away at Western High School in Davie, he recalls his school being immediately placed on lockdown and the general feeling of uncertainty among his peers.
“Everyone was on social media trying to get updates on what was happening,” he said. “I remember a few hours afterward, there was this video on Twitter showing actual bullets piercing the walls and busting through windows in a classroom full of students. Seeing that is something I’ll never forget,” said Linwood.
Last year, lawmakers debated whether or not teachers should be armed in schools. This was an issue that divided political parties and sparked major controversy. At the time it was drafted, the proposal would allow for only some school personnel to be armed but not classroom instructors. This year, the bill was revised to include the arming of teachers as well.
Even though polls have shown that a hefty population of Floridians oppose the allowance of guns in schools, this could still turn out to the first bills that the entire Florida Senate will consider once the legislative session takes place on March 5.
Student Body President candidate, Nesha Prince, expressed her distaste on the issue, “Am I against the Second Amendment? No, that’s their prerogative, but in terms of education and should guns be allowed on campus, I’m against that because it deteriorates and takes away from what we’re mainly trying to do here on campus which is to connect with one another and get an education.” The 20-year-old junior majoring in Sociology and Philosophy called guns on campus a distraction.
Mauricio Garcia, a graduate teaching assistant for the languages and linguistic departments at FAU, recalls the moment the tragedy struck. Standing in line at Starbucks, scrolling through Facebook, his feed became inundated with mentions of the shooting and unconfirmed reports. The first thing that came to mind was his daughter’s safety and if her school had been impacted as well. As a parent, you can’t help but worry about the worst-case scenario.
“We should be disarming people, not arming them,” said Garcia. He believes that arming teachers is a step in the completely wrong direction and essentially helps in lining the pockets of NRA representatives.
“If I was required to carry a firearm on campus as a teacher, I’d quit my job in a heartbeat and find another one,” he said. “Guns are inherently evil and facilitate the desire to kill. In a moment of rage, you’re more likely to act on your impulse- which is the last thing we need in today’s society.”
