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More student protests planned over gun laws

Across the Charlotte area Tuesday, there were reports of high school students walking out of class, making an urgent appeal to lawmakers to increase protection. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council met Tuesday night for a youth led discussion on school safety.

Armed with large signs and small candles hundreds of students, teachers and parents marched to Raleigh’s state capitol building Tuesday night chanting, “Schools are under attack. What do we do? Stand up. Fight back!”

The group demanded stricter gun laws following the country’s latest mass shooting in Parkland, Florida which claimed the lives of 17 people.

Across the Charlotte area Tuesday, there were reports of high school students walking out of class, making an urgent appeal to lawmakers to increase protection. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council met Tuesday night for a youth led discussion on school safety.

“This could have been my high school. This could have been my best friend’s high school,” one teenager said.

“The government is telling us you have to go here, but we’re not guaranteeing your safety,” another student explained.

Local lawmakers said they're working to guarantee Carolina kids are safe in school. North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore announced the appointment of a new school safety committee Tuesday. It is a partnership between schools, government, and law enforcement.

“The schools should be a place where students are there free to learn and be free of fear,” Moore said.

The committee is responsible for improving facilities, identifying threats and providing active shooter training and resources. Participation in active shooter courses is way up, and for good reason, according to CMPD.

“If you’re in an active shooting situation, and it takes you longer than two seconds for you to decide what to do, it’s probably too late. You’ve got to be able to decide quickly and efficiently through planning, through training, what you’re going to do,” an officer explained.

The images from last week’s mass shooting inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School continue to haunt a divided country. Many are unable to agree on what action government should take, but everyone seems to recognize something must be done.

Based on social media messaging, it appears there are at least three other major student-led efforts underway:

  • March 14: There is expected to be a call for a school walkout for 10 minutes.
  • March 24: There will be a large march in Washington, D.C.
  • April 20: There is a call for a National School Walkout for students across the nation.

In Charlotte, Charlotte Mecklenburg school officials said they respect students’ rights to free expression, but the top priority is for them to be learning in the classroom.

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