DENVER — Students from several Colorado high schools missed class on Wednesday to make their voices heard in the wake of the Evergreen High School shooting last week.
Two students were seriously injured in that shooting and are still hospitalized as of Wednesday. The shooter died by suicide on Sept. 10, the day of the shooting.
A group of more than 100 students gathered on the west steps of the Colorado State Capitol before marching through downtown streets to advocate for change to prevent gun violence. The demonstration was organized by Students Demand Action, a student activist group that launched in earnest after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida in 2018.
“A lot of the time, we wait for adults to act, and that doesn't always happen,” one student told the crowd before Wednesday morning’s march. “Being here today proves that we are the now and we are the present in this fight for change and in this movement.”
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Denver7’s Colette Bordelon spent time among the crowd to hear their message.
“My freshman year, we missed more school [days] because of shootings than we did snow days, which kind of points to two very big concerns of our current world, which is climate change and this gun violence epidemic,” said Norah Krause, an East High School student and Students Demand Action organizer. “We've grown accustomed to the fact that we're going to miss school because of this, and all the people here [...] signed up for that aspect of it when they showed up.”
“This is what's important to us.”
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A walkout was planned in Conifer, a neighboring community to Evergreen, on Wednesday afternoon. It was one of several throughout the state, where students walked out of their classrooms promptly at 1:30 p.m.
There is no class at Evergreen High School this week as a result of the shooting. A letter from the principal to the school community detailed a survey that was sent to all students on Wednesday, which must be completed by Friday morning. By Sunday, the goal is to release a video message from the principal outlining the plan to return to school.
Since students from Evergreen HS did not have a classroom to walk out of, their neighbors at Conifer High School invited them to join their protest.
"We need to give Evergreen a place where they can protest safely," said Evelyn Seevers, one of the Conifer students who organized the walkout on Wednesday. "I'd argue that it's powerful from a group of people who have been children this entire time, voiceless in a way. You know, we're the ones that this is happening to, and yet we're the generation that hasn't had a chance to vote about it, talk about it. Yet we will be the generation who won't shut up about this."
Seevers, who led the group out of Conifer High School, said this is not a situation she and her peers should have to confront.
"I'm supposed to be thinking about my grade in math class. I shouldn't be worried about this," said Seevers. "This is something that's normalized for us that I don't think should be."
When asked about the debate surrounding gun control in America, Seevers said it is clear that change is needed.
"Whether the guns are the problem is not what you should be asking. What you should be saying is, we need to take action. We need to do something because clearly, whatever we're doing isn't working," said Seevers. "Debating about whether or not guns are the problem isn't working... Come up with solutions if you don't want to get rid of your guns. Come up with an idea that keeps us safe."
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Even though the teenagers cannot vote, Seevers said demonstrations like the ones held on Wednesday are their way of ensuring their voices are heard.
"We are the ones whose voices you should have been asking about for a long time," said Seevers.
Evergreen High School students who attended the walkout told Denver7 they felt empowered and supported seeing their rival high school stand in solidarity with them.
"It's not a small school, but I guess we're kind of tucked away, so having our rival school, I guess, coming out and saying that — supporting us — means a lot," said Emily Heidarsson, a student at Evergreen High School.
Smith said the walkout demonstrated a "lot of love" for the Evergreen community.
"It's not just Conifer students," said Evergreen HS freshman Kat Smith. "Even Evergreen students are showing up and coming back stronger."
