Natalie Carlomagno Walton walkout

The day after they ignored threatened punishments by Cobb schools and walked out of classes, students at Walton, Pope and Lassiter high schools denounced the district’s position on opposing the nationwide event and asked for leniency.

In a public comment session at the Cobb Board of Education meeting Thursday, several students decried what they described as efforts to “silence us,” and vowed that their demands for greater school safety, including “commonsense” gun control laws, would continue.

“This will not deter us,” said Kara Litwin, who led the walkout at Pope High School.

She was among the 1,000 students estimated by the Cobb County School District who left their classes for 17 minutes Wednesday as part of the National School Walkout.

The walkout took place exactly a month after 17 students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., were shot to death on campus. A former student was charged with their killings.

Related coverage

• At Walton walkout, parents and families offer support
• Walton says walkout day threat not credible
• Walton asks for extra security, schedules alternate event for walkout day
• Walkout leaders say signups ‘skyrocketed’ after Cobb schools decision
• Cobb schools don’t support walkouts; threaten disciplinary action

The Cobb district said it did not support the walkouts because it was concerned about school safety and not disrupting the school day, and said that students who walked out would face consequences for their actions.

The punishments were not specified, and the district said disciplinary action is up to individual schools. Those actions have not been announced, but judging by students’ comments, some could be facing a three-day out-of-school suspension.

“I walked out for 17 minutes,” Litwin said. “Seventeen minutes, compared to the lives of 17 people.”

She said Cobb schools “taught us to stand up for what we believe in. Why are you going back on your word?”

Natalie Carlomagno, a Walton High School sophomore who organized her school’s walkout, echoed similar thoughts.

“Why do you want to punish us for using the excellent education you’ve given us? We just want to be safe.”

She said three days of an out-of-school suspension “is much more disruptive than 17 minutes.”

Only 260 Walton students walked out, a much smaller number than the more than 2,000 organizers said had signed up. Walton freshman Divya Vismani, another walkout leader, said that was “because of the threats” students received from school officials not to join the protest.

Lassiter High School senior Hannah Andress, who led her school’s walkout, was the most critical, saying she felt like she had to march because “I am tired of fearing for my life.”

She also referenced a possible three-day suspension, and asked the board members “shouldn’t you be supporting me? Listen to me. I am begging you.

“I am advocating for myself, because you didn’t.”

East Cobb resident Pamela Riordan, who lives near Walton, commended Cobb schools for opposing the walkout, and said that “students are being used by factions in society,” especially on gun issues.

“The problem is not guns,” she said, but that the suspect in the Florida shootings had not been previously detained, despite numerous calls to law enforcement about his behavior.

“That is the breakdown, that is what we should be talking about,” she said.

At the end of the meeting, most board members did not respond to the walkout students’ comments, and they have said little publicly about the issue in general.

Susan Thayer of Smyrna thanked the students for their remarks and said she respected their opinions but said only that “it’s been a frustrating week.”

Scott Sweeney, who represents the Walton district, wished everyone a happy spring break. David Banks, who represents Pope and Lassiter, said he enjoyed a recent visit reading to students at Eastvalley Elementary School. David Chastain commended Kell High School culinary students for the Mexican meal prepared for the board before the meeting.

Randy Scamihorn of north and west Cobb mentioned four police officers nationwide who have recently been killed in the line of duty, something he does regularly. He urged everyone associated with Cobb schools to support the work of the district’s public safety officials to keep students, teachers and staff safe.

Cobb schools superintendent Chris Ragsdale also did not comment on the students’ remarks.

 

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