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'It's A Day Of Positivity, Not Pain': Parkland Student Activists On National School Walkout

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PARKLAND (CBSMiami) - Hundreds of students across South Florida walked out of their schools Friday morning in a show of support for National Walk Out Day and National Day of Action Against Gun Violence in Schools.

The walkout comes on the 19th anniversary of the mass shooting at Columbine High in Littleton, Colorado in which 13 people were killed.

The students are walking out in a push for safer schools. At Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the walkout this time began with teachers, standing in front of the school this morning saying they don't want to be armed with anything other than resources and supplies.

"I don't want to have to make a decision do I shoot a student or not, I am here to teach I am not here to be the police I am not here to be SWAT," said MSD history teacher Greg Pittman.

17 people were killed in a mass shooting at the school on February 14th. Students left the campus and went to Pine Trails Park across the street during today's walk out.

David Hogg, who has become one of the more vocal teen proponents for gun control after the shooting, said 2,500 schools nationwide are taking part in the national school walk out.

"I'm 18 now and I've been able to grow up to this stage in my life where Columbine happened 19 years ago and this has happened again. It shows the stagnancy that we have in our government and why now we, as citizens, must make this the voting issue. Get out and register to vote and vote. If you don't register to vote and don't vote, none of this matters because nothing is going to change," said Hogg.

David Hogg, who has become one of the more vocal teen proponents for gun control after the shooting, said 2,500 schools nationwide are taking part in the national school walk out.

"I'm 18 now and I've been able to grow up to this stage in my life where Columbine happened 19 years ago and this has happened again. It shows the stagnancy that we have in our government and why now we, as citizens, must make this the voting issue. Get out and register to vote and vote. If you don't register to vote and don't vote, none of this matters because nothing is going to change," said Hogg.

David Hogg during the walkout

 

Hogg said while things have quieted down a little since last month's massive march on Washington their mission remains on track.

"The important thing to remember is that people are still taking action. There are different organizations doing different marches. We are also continuing these walkouts and other students across the country are standing up and becoming leaders of their own," he said.

Hogg said that's what the real story is - students are standing up and working to fix the issue when politicians won't.

He noted that several students from Douglas High went to Columbine High to take part in their walkout.

Hogg said his school and Columbine are "in a fraternity that nobody wants to be a part of."

"We have to stand up together and work together to solve this issue. Not as Republicans and Democrats, not as students and parents, but as Americans. We have to work together to vote these politicians out of office that only want to put profits ahead of lives," said Hogg.

Student activist Delaney Tarr also took part in Friday's walkout at Pine Trails Park and said the day is about "random acts of kindness because this is day of positivity, not a day of pain."

Delaney Tarr on her random acts of kindness

 

She said the school wasn't allowing students who left campus back inside so she was going to spend the day doing her own acts of kindness.

"I might hand flowers to strangers or I might be putting feminine products in restrooms throughout the community," she explained. "There are so many different ways to give back, like cleaning up parks and all of that, there are a lot of different things we can do, it's just a matter of doing them."

The Broward County School District said there would be disciplinary action for those students who left class Friday.

"I'm willing to have one detention or two detentions but as long as tragedies like this  stop happening I'll take risk I have to take," said freshman Daniel Duff.

The National Walkout organizers say their goals are for students to have a moment of silence, speak up about the gun control issue and contact their legislators to demand action.

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