Edmonton students join mass U.S. national school walk out
'We're very lucky to be at a school that hasn't had to face anything like that'
Students at an Edmonton school walked out in support of students in the U.S. who left their classrooms in a mass protest against gun violence.
Close to 80 junior high and high school students left Victoria School at 10 a.m. Wednesday for 17 minutes, one minute for each victim of the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida.
"This was organized by some of our younger students, some of our junior high students," said Emily Gwilt, a Grade 12 student at Victoria School.
The students walked out in solidarity with a national movement in the U.S. where American students are calling for stricter gun laws in the wake of the Florida shooting.
Victoria students used the event as a memorial for the victims of the shooting.
"We don't have to fight for those kind of rights," Gwilt said. "We're still showing support for our neighbours and we're still showing that we care about their well-being just as much as their own students."
Gwilt said school staff informed students they would not face repercussions for taking part in the walk out.
"We're very lucky to be at a school that is very supportive that way," she said.
"We're very lucky to be at a school that hasn't had to face anything like that."
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