News

Buffalo Chapter Supports Student Walk Out for Gun Violence

PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH STUDENTS FOR SCHOOL WALKOUT FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION

March 12, 2018

CONTACT: Jessica Bauer Walker, PHONE: 716-548-6727

Buffalo, NY – Local parents, teachers, and community groups will host a press conference TOMORROW, Tuesday March 13th, 11am at East High School (820 Northampton St), to express solidarity with students who plan to walk out on Wednesday as a demonstration of support for gun violence prevention.

March 14, 2018 marks one month since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which left 14 students and 3 staff members killed and may others wounded or injured. In response, students across the national are leading a #NationalSchoolWalkout for 17 minutes (in honor of the 17 lives taken in the tragedy in Parkland) at 10am across every time zone on March 14, 2018 to protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods.

Speakers will include:

• Jessica Bauer Walker, Executive Director, Community Health Worker Network of Buffalo (parent at International School #45)

• Charles Burgin, Chair of District Parent Coordinating Council Mentoring and Trauma/Violence Committee (parent at Olmsted #156)

• Larry Scott (parent at #81) and Keith Jones (parent at Bennet High School), Buffalo Parent Teacher Organization • Phil Rumore, President, Buffalo Teachers Federation

• Rev. Mark Blue, President, NAACP Buffalo

• Janique Curry, National Action Network, Buffalo-Niagara Chapter

• Murray Holman, President, Buffalo Peacemakers

• Daveed Muhamad, Student Minister, Mosque #23)

• Duane Ferguson, President/CEO, Dad’s Program)

The group is asking the community to uplift student leadership and civil rights as they engage in actions around Buffalo and Western New York on Wednesday. “This is a student-led movement, and our goal is to support our students and amplify their voice. We are here as parents and supportive adults to assist them in their call for safe schools and communities,” said Jessica Bauer Walker. “Please talk to your children or students, and prepare them to take action safely and appropriately, while letting them lead on an issue that impacts them directly.”

The group asks that parents, teachers, and supportive adults wear orange and walk out of their workplaces (if safe to do so) at the same time students may be walking out of their schools, or stand outside of a designated community school- while ensuring they abide by all safety and security protocols of the school and District.

Buffalo allies are aligned with a platform put out by Women’s March Youth EMPOWER, who are walking out for ALL people who have experienced gun violence, including systemic forms of gun violence that disproportionately impact teens in Black and Brown communities. Guns and police in schools that have been proposed by some as protective measures are not seen as a solution by this movement. Advocates are calling on elected officials to do their jobs to keep students and staff in schools safe, and pass federal gun reform legislation that will address the public health crisis of gun violence.

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