Exercising our rights. As adolescents, as students, as observers of the world around us, we have learned that protesting is an integral part of being an American. 

There’s no surprise that we’re an uprising generation of change makers. We’ve all watched the world change before our lives. In our lifetimes, we’ve had to deal with protests over  COVID-19, LGBTQ+ rights, Women’s rights, Black Lives Matter, and more. 

So it’s no surprise that when there’s an issue that affects us directly we say something.

Students all over the country are protesting the issue of gun control in the United States by walking out of class tomorrow (April 5) at noon. But how many students see it as supporting the cause? And how many see it as an excuse to get out of class?

Last year, Wheat Ridge High School students walked out of their classes to protest the Supreme Court overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

There is no denying that some of the people standing in the crowd holding signs saying things like “protect our women” didn’t understand why they were there and why it mattered. Students who had called their peers derogatory names such as “slut” and “whore” attended the protest that was organized to support women’s rights. They didn’t understand that supporting abortion rights also means that they have to support the women in their lives by addressing their own behavior.

It’s easy to say you care about a topic at the moment, and it’s easy to go to a protest with your friends, especially when it presents the opportunity to miss class. 

We all want to protect our schools. We all want justice for people like Luis Garcia, who died in a shooting at East High School a few weeks ago and the students who died in the too-numerous shootings over the past years. But make sure that tomorrow, if you choose to participate in the school walk out, you understand what and who you are fighting for. It’s not just an excuse to skip class.