Will Santa Monica High School Participate in the National Walkout to Protest Gun Violence?

In the wake of a Florida shooting, a high school protest movement appears to be snowballing. A 19 year old boy carrying an automatic weapon to the Parkland, Florida public high school, shot and killed 17 fellow students on February 14th.

The 10 am walkout planned for March 14th is set to last 17 minutes, to honor the 17 Florida students killed. 14 more were wounded, some seriously.

Another walkout is planned on April 20, which will mark the 19th year since the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado that left 13 dead. 

The Women's March's Youth EMPOWER group is planning a national school walkout on March 14, 2018, according to the group's website. "High school students are talking on message boards to make April 20th the day they all walk out of school and don't come back until Congress updates the gun laws," according to the group's website.

"I strongly urge students at my alma mater santa monica high school, to join the national student walkout against violence on March 14, 2018." Said one local alum.

"When will SAMOHI add it's name to the National Walk out day on March 14th? There's a list on Woman's March web page," asked Chris, one local mom.

"Dr. (Antonio) Shelton explained that Samohi staff is supportive and is working out the details and what that will entail for all staff and students who wish to participate. Additionally, our District's PR Officer, Gail Dicker Pinsker, explained that there is a coordinated effort among our secondary schools across the district, details to come," said local student Yolanda Lewis.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School had an armed security guard on campus, but he was in a different part of the building when the shooter pulled fire alarms and entered a building, intent on killing others.