National School Walkout: Everything to know about the upcoming event to end gun violence - #MarchForOurLives #NeverAgain

National School Walkout: Everything to know about the upcoming event to end gun violence - ABC News:

National School Walkout: Everything to know about the upcoming event to end gun violence

Thousands of students across the country will come together next week to rally against school gun violence -- an event the teenage organizers hope will empower students to continue their momentum in a push for common-sense gun reform.

The event -- called the National School Walkout -- focuses on high schools and will take place on April 20, the anniversary of the massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado, where two students opened fire in 1999, killing 12 of their fellow students and a teacher.

Who is participating?

The event was organized by 16-year-old Lane Murdock, a sophomore at Ridgefield High School in Connecticut, along with three of her classmates.

More than 2,000 events are registered across the country, with at least one in every state and several globally, according to the organizers.

There are currently more than 2000 #NationalSchoolWalkout events.

At least one in every state.

Several globally.

You can't ignore America's children. pic.twitter.com/ElDUk63yzx

— National School Walkout (@schoolwalkoutUS) April 9, 2018

When will it start?

The walkout begins at 10 a.m. in each local time zone.

When students head outside, they will first take part in 13 seconds of silence to honor the 13 people killed at Columbine High School.

Steve Peterson/Getty Images

Ryan Foreman of Denver's South Metro Fire Department, visits a memorial for the victims of Columbine High School tragedy in Clement Park, April 30, 1999.more +

Then the format of the walkout is up to each school. Lane told ABC News she proposes that schools incorporate open mics, guest speakers and voter registration. She said some students plan to write letters to those in communities impacted by school shootings.

“

”

This is a problem that needs to be addressed longer than 17 minutes.

But this event differs in one major way from last month's nationwide school walkout, which was held on March 14, one month after the shooting at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 students and staff.

The March 14 walkout officially lasted for 17 minutes to mark the 17 lives lost. After the 17 minutes, many students returned to their classrooms.

RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Students at Columbine High School walk out of classes in protest of gun violence for 17 minutes, one minute for each Florida high school shooting victim, March 14, 2018 in Littleton, Colo.more +

RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Leah Zundel, 15, a student at Columbine High School, holds a sign that reads "Enough is Enough" as she and other students walked out of classes in protest of gun violence for 17 minutes, March 14, 2018 in Littleton, Colo.more +

The April 20 walkout, meanwhile, is set to last from 10 a.m. until the end of the school day.

"This is a problem that needs to be addressed longer than 17 minutes," Lane explained.

"As a student who can't vote, you don't have a lot of power. But what you have that's Continue reading:  National School Walkout: Everything to know about the upcoming event to end gun violence - ABC News:

Teachers rising up in rebellion of 'everyday heroes': Randi Weingarten

Oklahoma teachers' walkout happens when you don't prioritize education:
Teachers rising up in rebellion of 'everyday heroes': Randi Weingarten

Melissa Smith has 30 students in her criminal justice class in an Oklahoma City high school — but only 20 desks. Remedial help for students struggling with reading and writing is gone at English teacher Anna Graven’s Oklahoma City high school, so each year they fall further behind. A student in Ada, Okla., just found Blake Shelton’s name in the plate pasted on the inside of one of her dog-eared textbooks. The country music star used the very same book in 1982 — 36 years ago. Many textbooks (if teachers even have any to distribute) are even older and held together with duct tape. A 20-year science teacher in the Sooner State left the profession to make more money as a part-time dog groomer.

Teacher advocacy for excellent, equitable, safe and well-funded public schools and livable wages started long ago, but the recent walkouts that started in West Virginiaand spreading across the country have captured the attention of the public because of the David vs. Goliath nature of the battle.

Teachers are standing up for their students and themselves against largely red states with weak labor laws and where governors and legislators have opted for tax cuts for the wealthy instead of investments for children. This has left education conditions deplorable and educators pauperized. The movement has even become a verb of sorts. “Don’t Make Me Go West Virginia on You” was the message on an Arizona teacher’s sign as she protested at her state capitol.

This movement is a rejection of years of austerity budgets that have stiffed education funding and kids’ futures in favor of tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations. Twenty-nine states spend less today on public education than when the recession began in 2007. But educators, students and parents are taking on the budget shortfalls with tangible results.

West Virginia, with a Republican governor and GOP-majority House and Senate, voted to give public employees, including educators, a 5% raise, and created a task force to fix health insurance costs, rescinding the premiums hikes in the meantime.

Oklahoma, also with a Republican trifecta, voted for the first time in 28 years to raise taxes to provide new revenue for teacher pay raises and school funding. 

The days of passive resignation are over. Educators, students, parents and concerned Continue reading: Oklahoma teachers' walkout happens when you don't prioritize education: