WALKOUT!

At about 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 14, approximately 1,000 students walked out of their third period classes and headed for the scanners, intending to participate in a school-sanctioned protest advocating for stronger legislation of the NRA and similar organizations and measures against gun violence in schools. Students were asked to swipe out before leaving the building.

“I’m walking out because I believe in common sense gun control, and I think that there’s more for the U.S. government to do to help students like us, and all Americans, live in a safer place,” said junior Julia Arancio.

Once outside, participants crossed Chambers Street with the assistance of faculty in orange visibility vests, some holding “Stop: Fire Drill” signs. A group of about 20 alumni stood on the corner of Chambers and North End Avenue holding signs and yelling, “The Alumni are with you!”

When Herbert Navarro (‘55) was asked why he supported the protest, he responded, “Do we have a choice? I don’t.”

Protesters then walked down the ramp into the Citi Green Fields, where people gathered as organizers from Stuy Says ENOUGH! (SSE!) made speeches into megaphones, which were inaudible from the back third of the crowd. This included saying the names of the 17 killed in the Parkland shooting and leading the group in chants, including “We want change,” and “Stuy Says Enough!”

“It was really disorganized. We first went to the Citi Green Fields, and that kinda felt like a dead end. I felt like […] the group was just cattle being herded. And nothing much was being done,” said junior Chelsea Cheung.

“At first it was kind of boring, as state-sanctioned protests tend to be,” said senior Connie Walden.

Freshman Isabelle Sanderson commented, “So far the walkout has been very empowering. It’s a very communal student movement. I will say it’s a tad bit unorganized, but I think that just means everyone has so many opinions and they want to be heard, which is very good.”

The protest proved its point for many students, however, and with approximately a thousand students in attendance, it was clear to how large a portion of the student body this issue felt significant.

“I didn’t expect a lot of people to walk out, but I was really surprised by the number of people who did walk out and support this. I’m really proud of us as a school,” said junior Tiffany Chen.

“I’m really surprised that people even made signs, because I thought a lot of people were just doing this to cut, and it shows that people actually care, and it’s not just an excuse for people to not go to school,” said junior Florence Luo.

Many of those signs were made at a joint meeting with Stuyvesant Young Democrats and SSE! the day prior.

“I’m walking out because it’s been too many people,” said freshman Tiffany Chan. “We’ve seen a lot of people dying or getting hurt by gun violence, and I feel like we need to stand up for all of this, and there are thousands of people everywhere who are standing up for this crime.”

While not all teachers were vocally supportive of the walkout, the sentiment among faculty was generally allied with the protestors.

“Sandler, I know that he wanted to walk out […] I’m really happy that the teachers think this is important too, and I know a lot of other teachers would walk out too if they didn’t have to lose their jobs for it,” said Chen.

“My teacher, [Ms. Dunkel], was in support and actually didn’t have a lesson today, so that everyone should walk out,” said Sanderson.

“I had Mr. Rubenstein, and he said that he doesn’t encourage it nor discourage it. He just said that if you must go, then go,” said Cheung.

“Ms. Fang, the health teacher, was telling us about the event and explaining the importance of this walkout,” said Luo. “Which is admirable because she’s not just telling us to go to class, that we don’t have to participate [in the protest], she’s actually encouraging us to take a stance.”

“I didn’t even go to class, actually,” said sophomore El Loprest.

Instead of returning to Stuyvesant, many students instead turned towards City Hall and were told to “go back to Stuy or be counted as cutting.” Despite this, a number of administrators went with students to City Hall, including Assistant Principal Casey Pedrick and Assistant Principal of Security/Health & Physical Education Brian Moran.

“Well, we didn’t actually really go, because there was also the part where no one really knew where to go,” said Cheung. “So City Hall was in one direction, and part of the group went another direction, but we congregated in the end.”

This unsanctioned part of the protest was led by seniors, and not endorsed by Stuy Says Enough!, although many of its organizers were present. Protesters marched around City Hall and the surrounding government buildings chanting, “No more silence, end gun violence” as a call-and-response. As the group stopped to congregate, senior Alex Whittington gave an impromptu speech without a microphone, in which he demanded that the NRA “Stop F---ing Killing Us!”

Protesters crowded together at the park just south of City Hall, where there were more speeches, some from those without microphones amplified via vox populi, others using using microphones, bullhorns, or just shouting.

“We’re protesting something very sad and very upsetting, and obviously we’re all extremely upset, but to rally together and share our emotions with the people who need to listen to us has been a very uplifting experience,” said Loprest.

The crowd then marched back to Stuyvesant via Chambers Street, chanting loudly the whole way; “Students united will never be divided!” “Hey hey! ho ho! Gun violence has got to go!” “Today I feel my power!” and “Stuy Says Enough!” were all popular. Students who went to City Hall arrived back at Stuyvesant at about 11:10 a.m.

“We showed energy, we showed activism, and maybe we changed mindsets in students. A lot of students tend to be nonpolitical here at Stuy, and I think we’re changing that today by showing students how much value and energy there is in protesting,” said Walden.

Junior Pascale Leone said, “I think this is really important to draw attention to, and if you don’t keep drawing attention to it, nothing’s going to change.”