San Anselmo, Fairfax Students Participating In School Walkout

MARIN COUNTY, CA – Marin County students plan to walk out of class Friday on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting.

Organizers of the National School Walkout called on students to participate and put the spotlight on lawmakers in an effort to push for gun reform and other legislation to help protect students from gun violence.

There are more than 2,600 walkouts planned across the country – at least one in every state. Starting at 10 a.m., students will have 13 seconds of silence to honor the 13 people killed at Columbine High School.

In March, one month after the tragic Florida shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School left 17 people dead, students in Marin walked out of class as part of the ENOUGH National School Walkout, a nationwide effort to protest gun violence, push lawmakers to strengthen gun control laws and remember the victims.

A week later, Marin students participated in the Novato March For Our Lives Vigil, which coincided with various rallies and other events held around the San Francisco Bay Area and across the country.

Students at several schools in Marin plan to take part in Friday's walkout, according to the National Student Walkout website.

White Hill Middle School in Fairfax, Mill Valley Middle School and Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, Novato High School in Novato, and San Domenico High School in San Anselmo are among those participating. Although campuses from San Rafael City Schools are not listed on the site, district officials acknowledged that students may plan to participate in the walkout.

"It is important that our students learn to be independent, critical thinkers who contribute to a democratic society in a positive way," Superintendent Michael Watenpaugh said. "We support our students' rights to express their views and opinions, understanding that students have opinions on all sides of issues. It is also important that such advocacy always be carried out in a safe, peaceful and respectful manner that does not infringe upon the rights and safety of others."

Photo via Autumn Johnson/Patch