Gun Control Walkout Just The Start, Students at One Maryland School Say

Hundreds of students bundled up against the cold and headed out of Maryland’s Parkdale High School to join the nationwide walkout on gun control. More than 2,000 students attend the school, in the Prince George’s County school district outside Washington. Student government leaders at the largely Hispanic and African-American campus led the march and rally, chanting “books, not bullets,” and “hey hey, ho, ho, gun violence has got to go”. They observed a moment of silence for the lives lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month and released 17 balloons, one for each victim at the Florida school. Students say they will lobby lawmakers to make it tougher for troubled individuals to get guns, and they pledged to keep up the pressure long after today’s marches were over. “We shouldn’t have to worry about getting hurt in school,” said sophomore Jordan Cooper. “From here we keep marching, keep protesting, keep speaking, keep tweeting… until we see change.”