Anne Arundel Co. Students Disciplined For National School Walkout
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Anne Arundel County officials say 15 students were disciplined after they walked out of school during a national protest that called for more gun control.
The district said students were warned days before the national walkout on April 20 that a disruption would not be allowed.
RELATED: Local Students Join National School Walkout Calling For Stricter Gun Control
"82,000 of our students did exactly what we asked them to do," said Bob Mosier, Anne Arundel County Public Schools spokesperson. "We had 15 students who chose not to do that and we administered the consequences that we told them in advance we were going to administer."
Of all the students who were disciplined, a majority of them were middle schoolers, and 10 of them attend Corkran Middle School. One student attends Monarch Global Academy, three students attend Annapolis High School and another attends Broadneck High.
Consequences range in severity from detention up to suspension.
In the aftermath of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, a wave of activism has spread across the country. One of the most recent events was on April 20, which marked the 19th anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School.
RELATED: Day Of Service, No Walkout At Columbine On 19th Anniversary
"Students are so concerned with guns in our schools, we're willing to risk disciplinary action to get our message through," said a local student who participated in a march.
Anne Arundel schools coordinated previous in-school activities to discuss gun violence.
"I felt the first time around was enough and it was not needed a second time, especially at my school because a lot of kids at my school were disrespectful in the walkout period," said eighth-grader Megan Cunningham.
"Sometimes, I feel like this age that they are walking out just to get out of school for a certain amount of time," a parent told WJZ.
Mosier said local Parent Teacher Associations did not complain about the disciplinary action students received.
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