STUDENTS DEMAND ACTION! WE WANT YOUR SUPPORT!

In the United States of America, guns are the leading cause of death for children ages 1-17. Did that get your attention? Equally troubling, 18-20-year-olds are three times as likely to commit a homicide (the act of one person killing another person) than people over the age of 21. Our country has normalized the usage of guns amongst the youth population and schools have suffered greatly from it. In Colorado alone, there have been two shootings at East High School within the span of only two months. Students, like me, are scared and tired of adults failing to take any action to ensure our safety. Some students recently decided to speak out on gun violence through an unorganized walk-out. For the most part, it wasn’t very successful and was viewed by many as just an opportunity to get out of school. Despite this setback, a group of dedicated 8th-grade students, including myself, have come forward and want to commit to taking serious and strategic action on the topic of gun violence. We have formed a Students Demand Action group and want your help and support. We must demand that those who possess the power hear our voices, as we are the ones affected by gun violence in schools. Starting April 17 and continuing until May 19, students will have the opportunity to write letters to people in positions of power such as Governor Jared Polis,  Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Mayoral Candidates Mike Johnston and Kelly Brough, as well as Senators Micheal Bennet, and John Hickenlooper. Students are encouraged to share with these elected officials how gun violence has impacted their lives. Templates will be provided for students who just want to echo their support of action on gun violence.  A student-led letter campaign to these people could catch the attention of the public and allow our voices to be heard. Just because we are not yet old enough to vote, we can still share with these politicians how we feel about guns in our schools and perhaps even engage them in a long-overdue conversation about reforming our gun laws. If you are a student that is interested in supporting this cause to end gun violence in schools please use this opportunity to respectfully and honestly express your thoughts, opinions, questions, and concerns with people that can make a difference. If you are interested in taking action beyond writing a letter, please contact Ms. Moore at the following account: michelle_moore@dpsk12.net (mail to:michelle_moore@dpsk12.net). To any other students who are interested in getting to know our group or were thinking of possibly joining, especially if you are in 6th or 7th grade, Ms. Moore will be available to answer questions or concerns.   Looking for updates on numerous social justice issues and how students can take action? Our group has created a social media page on Instagram: @mcauliffespeakingup which is similar to platforms other DPS schools have established and better known as “Students Demand Action” pages. This social media page will not only be for gun violence but also used to address other social justice issues students may feel compelled to take action on. We ask anyone that can, please follow the page to get organized information on what we will be doing as McAuliffe students to action. I hope that you will join us in demanding that action be taken on this serious issue and many more that may follow. We cannot let school shootings become normalized. Speak Up!