High school students all over Wisconsin are planning to walk out of class for 17 minutes on March 14 as part of a nationwide school walkout in response to gun violence.
The protest will take place exactly one month after the Parkland, Florida school shooting, and it will last one minute for each victim of the mass shooting.
Schools in nearly every town are planning to participate--Milwaukee, Shorewood, Waukesha, Germantown, Sussex, Hartland and Pewaukee are just a few.
The Women's March Network has since got behind the movement asking schools, students, parents and faculty, across the country to participate.
"Students and staff have the right to teach and learn in an environment free from the worry of being gunned down in their classrooms or on their way home from school," The Women's March Network said on their website.
According to their website, they want to encourage Congress to pass federal gun reform legislation.
"[...] do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods. We need action."
And while many high schools' have said that students will be reprimanded for participating, many colleges are saying they will support peaceful protests. Some colleges even encouraging it.
UW-Madison, Beloit College and Marquette have all took to Twitter to say that student's participation in the walkout will not affect their college admission.
"UW Madison supports the rights of students to lawful protest. Doing so will not impact one’s prospects for admission."
Calling all #FutureBadgers: @UWMadison supports the rights of students to lawful protest. Doing so will not impact one’s prospects for admission.
— UW-Madison (@UWMadison) February 26, 2018
Marquette said, "If a student receives disciplinary actions for peaceful protests, it will not affect your admission to Marquette."
A message to students currently going through the admissions process: @MarquetteU supports peaceful free expression of beliefs. If a student receives disciplinary actions for peaceful protests, it will not affect your admission to Marquette.
— Marquette Admissions (@MUAdmissions) February 27, 2018
Beloit College is another local college standing up for the protests.
"Beloit College supports and teaches its students to find ways to act positively and responsibly in a complex society, to do what they have evidence to believe is right, and to pursue actions that advance meaningful causes."
Beloit College supports and teaches its students to find ways to act positively and responsibly in a complex society, to do what they have evidence to believe is right, and to pursue actions that advance meaningful causes.
— Beloit College (@Beloit_College) February 27, 2018
The walkout will take place at 10 a.m. across every time zone on March 14, 2018. For a list of schools participating, you can visit the Women's March Networks's website. You can also follow the movement on social media #enough and #NationalSchoolWalkout.
