Cat Gonzales
Lantern Staff
On Saturday, March 21, a march is arranged at Park Elementary in Wichita. This march, known as “March for Our Lives,” was inspired by Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students. Emma Gonzalez, 18, organized this march nationally to demand that lawmakers provide stricter gun laws and prioritize the lives of Americans.
Nikolas Cruz, 19, entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Wednesday, Feb. 14 and shot and killed 17 and wounded many others.
There have been 18 gun-related cases at or near schools in 2018. Gonzalez, among other student activists who arranged the march, wants society to know that thoughts and prayers only go so for. For her and others who feel a similar way, they want to see solutions and an end to mass shootings.
“That’s going to be Marjory Stoneman Douglas in that textbook, and it’s going to be due to the tireless effort of the school board, the faculty members, the family members and most of the students,” Gonzalez said during an anti-gun rally in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to People. “The students who are dead, the students still in the hospital, the students now suffering from PTSD, the students who had panic attacks during the vigil because the helicopters would not leave us alone, hovering over the school for 24 hours a day.”
Butler’s Chief of Police Jason Kenney explained that the march could bring some change, although it will not happen overnight.
“Tomorrow no, but it is bringing the attention to the politicians that there is a problem here and it needs to be changed,” Kenney said. “It is a free form of protest that will hopefully bring some change.”
As far as solutions go, there are solutions from both ends of the spectrum, from arming teachers to stricter vetting processes. There has been talk about arming teachers. According to CNN, President Donald Trump has proposed that teachers who would go through gun training would likely receive a bonus.
“They should if they are trained,” Kenney said. “Hopefully through the ALICE training…. That is something we go over, how to approach the police in this dynamic situation. We want to see hands and fingers. As long as we can see hands and fingers, I know there is not a gun there.”
Not everyone supports the idea of arming teachers though and by doing so, there may be consequences to teachers who are armed.
“No, as you noticed I am black,” Jeff Tymony, a professor of Criminal Justice and Behavioral Science, said. “When police respond to a school shooting, whatever they believe, whoever they learn to fear, is exactly who they see the shooter to be. To arm teachers, you’re assuming the police won’t be confused by who’s the good guy and who’s the bad one. Race matters.”
Until solutions are made, there are those who will continue to strive for gun laws all over the United States. The march in Wichita is only one of many marches taking place this month. Although the marches are taking place all across the country, they all have the same hope for change.
“If we cannot get your parents to pay attention, I think we need to mobilize to get the message out is a perfect idea, because whether you are in high school or college, speak as one,” Tymony said.