Students across the country staged walkouts Wednesday including most of the students at Bethany Christian Schools in Goshen.
The walkout is in remembrance of the 17 victims of the Parkland school shooting in Florida a month ago, and to protest for gun law reform and safer schools.
About 80 percent of Bethany’s 350 students gathered in the lobby by the gym at 10 o’clock for song, prayer and strong words from organizer Elizabeth Eby, a senior at the school.
“If you believe that your individual voice can make a difference, then we can speak louder than ever and with that voice we will remember those who have been taken from this word too soon.”
The school facilitated the student led walkout, any students that didn't wish to participate were gathered in the Middle School gym. Principal Hank Willems chaperoned them. He says the students he talked to said they didn't participate because they didn't want to be hypocritical on gun control issues. He says if it had been only a remembrance, all students likely would have participated.
A convoy from Bethany, organized in part by Eby, is joining the nationwide March for our Lives protests in Washington DC on March 24th to further the call for gun control legislation.