Gonzaga Students Participate in National Demonstration on Gun Violence

On Wednesday, March 14, about 300 Gonzaga students chose to participate in the National School Walkout, a nationwide demonstration on the one-month anniversary of the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

The walkout was entirely student-led and organized, and started with a prayer on Buchanan Field before walking to the Capitol steps. Once they reached the Capitol, the students said a prayer for each of the 17 victims of the deadly shooting in Florida.

On the same day, more than 100 heads of schools in the Washington area, including Gonzaga President Father Stephen Planning, SJ, signed a joint letter that was published in the Baltimore Sun speaking out against gun violence in schools. The letter will run in The Washington Post this weekend.

Filmed and edited by Matt Gannon '18, one of the student organizers of the demonstration, this video shows a recap of the walkout. 




Finally, here is a link to a letter that Father Planning sent to parents, students, faculty, and staff about the school's response to the walkout. In it, he explains why the administration decided to step back and let the students organize this demonstration themselves.

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