Hundreds at Lake City make voices heard
Lake City High school students hold signs at a school rally for National School Walkout, a nation-wide protest against gun violence, on Wednesday, one month after the deadly shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Lake City High School students participate in National School Walkout to raise awareness to gun violence on Wednesday, one month after the deadly shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
LOREN BENOIT/Press Hundreds of students gather near the softball fields at Lake City High School to protest gun violence during the National School Walkout on Wednesday.
Lake City High School students listen to H.O.P.E. co-president Zoe O'brien give a speech during National School Walkout on Wednesday, one month after the deadly shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
HOPE Co-President and Lake City sophomore Zoe O'Brien speaks to fellow students about gun violence in schools during National School Walkout on Wednesday, one month after the deadly shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Students at Lake City High School walk out of their classes as part of the National Walkout Day to protest gun violence. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Lake City High School student Violet Barber registers to vote during National School Walkout, a nation-wide protest against gun violence, on Wednesday. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
COEUR d’ALENE — Armed only with signs and their voices, several hundred Lake City High School students weathered the cold and rain to protest school violence Wednesday morning.
“I believe that the right to not only feel but to actually be safe in school is not only an American value, but also a human right,” sophomore Zoe O’Brien said in a speech to the crowd.
O’Brien, the co-president of the club Helping Other People Everywhere (HOPE), said the time for change is now.
“It is time that we stand united together against the compliance of allowing violence in our schools,” O’Brien said. “It is time that we stand in unity to show our government that we are fed up with moments of silence and prayers. It is time that we show that we are becoming voting age, and our votes matter along with our voices.”
She also sent a stark warning to legislators who ignore students’ calls for action.
“Young people are the largest voter constituency,” O’Brien said. “If you, our elected officials, do not help us to make change, then our generation will elect officials who will.”
O’Brien and fellow organizers Josh Weadick, a senior, and Seerit Kaur, a sophomore, emphasized that the walkout was not about banning guns.
“We want [lawmakers] to know that we’re not asking for a gun ban,” O’Brien said, “but for the protection of our students, teachers, and faculty — in simpler terms, our American citizens and your constituents.”
After O’Brien energized the crowd with her fiery speech, Weadick urged elected officials to take action.
“It is our duty as people to be kind to those who are hurting,” he said, “but it is the duty of our legislators to enact the appropriations required to provide professional help in schools for those that kindness alone will not help.”
Weadick then read the names and ages of the 17 victims from the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., before inviting the Navy Blues, a student choir, to perform a rendition of “We Sing.”
The protest was particularly powerful for Lake City students after violent threats were made on the school in October.
“The threats kind of paralyzed us as a school, and I think this was a great way for us to fight back,” senior Dakotah Andrews said.
Both O’Brien and Weadick said they got involved after seeing criticism of young people for sharing their perspectives.
“I realized that I needed to make a statement and say, “No, our voices should be heard because we’re young,’” Weadick said.
“Just because we are young doesn’t mean we are any less of Americans or humans,” O’Brien added.
According to Kaur, the turnout was much larger than expected. She said she was pleased to see the Lake City community joining as one.
“I’m proud of us T-Wolves that we did this together,” Kaur said, “and that we’re standing in unity for Parkland.”