National Walkout Day — Thoughts for Protesting in America
A look into the rights of protesting, punishment, and bringing about political change in modern day America.
Across the country on Wednesday, March 14th, several students participated in National Walkout Day. The walkout was scheduled for 10 am, and lasted approximately seventeen minutes for each individual murdered during the Stoneman-Douglass High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. The purpose of the walkout was to serve two facets: to pay respects to those lost in the shooting, and just as important, to push lawmakers to pursue gun reform.
Although we saw several schools who participated in this movement, there were several other schools and school systems in opposition to it. Some believe that children have no say so in the concerns surrounding the debate on gun control as it relates to our school systems, and if they decide to protest, they should be punished. In addition to this opposition, there are statements of whether or not the actions of protesting will bring about positive political change.
When looking at the issue of gun violence in our school systems and actively protesting these issues, one must question the potential consequences of protesting and whether or not they are justifiable. To help us better understand the issues surrounding this cause, we need to look at multiple aspects in this matter: the effectiveness of protesting, our rights and potential consequences for students as it relates to protesting, then lastly, examine the relevancy for our youth to be active in protest in efforts to produce political change.
Protesting. Rights. And Punishment
Protesting.
Before determining whether or not punishment to students is applicable, it is necessary to understand the reasoning behind the actions of protesting.
A study conducted by economists at Harvard University and Stockholm University identified that protests have a significant impact on politics and policy. Their research provided that protests do not necessarily work in the idea that the large crowds, demanding action for a cause, will send notice to policy makers, however, protests gets citizens politically activated.
Protests have served as the cornerstone for inspiration of social change and human rights advancement — they were meant to progressively define and safeguard civic spaces around the world. These protests are seen to encourage, develop, and strengthen representative democracies. In addition, they may initialize direct engagement in public affairs within society. Between individuals and groups, ideas, views, and opinions are shared in hopes to bring about political change.
In essence, protests can thrusts issues on the national and global agenda. It can force out tyrants. It can activate people. It can generate lasting positive change when mobilized in effort and determination.
Rights.
The right to protest is a long-standing protection afforded by the U.S. constitution. The right is contained in both the freedom of speech and the freedom of assembly — protecting the platform to verbalize protest, engage in symbolic speech such as signs, and arrange peaceful marches.
Now if we are looking at the paragraphs above for the foundation of protesting and circumstances of National Walkout Day and what students participated in, it should be obvious that freedom of speech and assembly is not breaking the law, so is punishment for these actions necessary and why are we doing so?
And Punishment.
It is time to talk about punishment and National Walkout Day. Because our rights to the freedom of speech and assembly are covered by the 1st Amendment, it strikes me that there where actions of punishment taken against the students participating in National Walkout Day. In some instances, teachers insisted on ‘corporal punishment’.
Other schools threatened to discipline students in other, harsher, ways according to their standards of punishment — such as suspension or detention — if they left school property for Wednesday’s National School Walkout; however, most schools do not generally suspend students for an unexcused absence.
According to American Civil Liberties Union, schools have the authority to punish its students most school policies do vary by state; however, the schools may not inflict ‘harsher’ punishments onto the students that they normally would not do.
Because the law in most places requires students to go to school, schools can discipline you for missing class. But what they can’t do is discipline you more harshly because of the political nature of or the message behind your action. — ACLU
Regardless of the the many suspension threats to “acts of disobedience,” many students still decided to walkout, weighing the cost of suspension and the lives of kids’ that have already been lost.
“A day of suspension out of school versus all of the kids’ lives that have been lost. So, we all thought it was 100% worth it.”
In instances such as this one, where your rights are governed and covered by the U.S. constitution, it’s evident that ‘harsher’ punishments are not necessary and entirely unacceptable.
Protesting — Relevancy
Protesting issues, such as gun control in this case, can often times get a bad reputation. In some instances, you may have individuals who don’t completely understand the impact that a protest can make as outlined above.
Relevancy.
One of the positions some teachers and authorities took against students was the lack of knowledge that they had towards the situation of gun control, leaving them essentially unequipped with tackling this issue.
It is important to consider that our youth will set the foundation for the future, and empowering them now to be change makers plays a critical part in the future of America. National Walkout Day did in fact accomplish something — it got people talking about it. Instead of labeling it as irrelevant, it created a platform for issues, such as gun control, to be brought in the school systems. Debates, forums, and speakers — all possible outcomes that can stem from this movement to create educational opportunities for students.
By not seeking to understand the importance of movements & protests like National Walkout Day, we indirectly label ourselves as ignorant to the issue. In contrast, if week seek to understand how useful the actions of movements & protests may be, and the potential opportunity to transition the discussion into our classrooms, we have a greater chance of political change.
A Call to Action — Bringing about Political Change
Regardless of what society may think, protesting is effective and a useful tool in bringing about political change in America. To rewrite the narrative and push onward we must continue to remember why we want to be a catalyst of change in the issues that shape our world.
According to Eric Liu’s TED-ED, How to Turn Protest Into Powerful Change, political change is achieved through three actions: expanding the frame of the possible, choosing a defining fight, and finding an early win.
Expanding the Frame of the Possible.
People often try to define the boundaries of our civic imagination by determining whether or not things are possible. We should try to push those boundaries outward. Simply asking the question of “what if?” is the first step in transforming protesting into political change.
Choosing a Defining Fight.
Politics is viewed as a contrast in ideas, and few of us think about civil life in the abstract. We must set the term of the contrast by thinking of a debate we want to have on our terms over an issue that captures the essence of a change we want.
Finding an Early Win.
An early win, even if not as ambitious as the ultimate goal, will create momentum, thus changing what people believe is possible. This sets, in motion, a positive feedback look. This can be done in a multitude of ways — talking to policy makers, using the media to change narratives (such as this platform), making arguments in public, and just having conversation with others.
#NationalWalkoutDay moved through all steps of the actions above. It expanded the frame of the possible by moving the narrative that students can, and will be, active advocates in the issues that effect them. It chose a defining fight that set the conversation on their terms by walking out of the schools in which they attend, addressing lawmakers to pursue gun reform, and serving as a memorial for those lost in the shooting. It found an early win by sparking discussion, insisting a change of narrative across media platforms, and initiating the start of furthering the conversation on gun control.
We must continue to have the passion to pursue issues like these. Only then may we start to see political change, changing narratives, and the Redesign of America.
Publication written and edited by Corey D. Smith and Mustafa Ali-Smith. Keep up with us on our twitter at RedesignAmerica.
