COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Local students are taking and demanding action against gun violence following two incidents at Colorado high schools last month.
On September 10th, two students were shot at Evergreen High School outside of Denver. The student suspect also died after turning the gun on himself.
Two days later in Colorado Springs, weapons found at Mesa Ridge High School prompted quick security actions. Two students were arrested after a handgun and an airlift gun were confiscated from them.
Both incidents pushed Mesa High School students to protest within the week. Marz Felch is one of numerous student organizers who led a walkout during the school day.
“Children shouldn’t have to fear for their life,” said Felch. “Something needs to be done now. We can’t just keep sitting here and letting this happen.”
On September 28th, another student-led protest was held outside of Janitell Junior High School in Fountain. Felch and fellow students hope staying consistent will catch the attention of local school leaders and state officials.
“People think that teenagers don’t have the cognitive ability to understand these really deep, sophisticated situations, but we are at the forefront of all of it,” said Felch. “We definitely understand it a little more than people think we do.”
Widefield School District 3 shared a statement with News 5 regarding student-led protests.
“We as a school district respect the right of our students to exercise their First Amendment rights and express their opinions. Our school administrators work with students who choose to protest to make sure it's not disrupting the learning environment and that they are protesting in a safe space.”
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Madelyn Haley is another senior organizer from Mesa Ridge High School. She is pushing for stricter gun laws and higher security within local schools.
“We don’t want other schools to have to deal with the fear, the anxiety, the aftermath, the PTSD of what we had to go through on the 12th of September,” said Haley. “I’m hoping to write to the Colorado state government and their representatives and tell them we need change. We need our voices heard.”
Felch is also hoping to take action beyond these recent protests.
“I’m going to talk at city council meetings, I know a lot of other people are trying to do that, and talk to the school board,” said Felch. “We’re in contact with state legislatures, we’re trying to push that. My main goal in all of this is to get legislation on the ballot on gun safety and gun reform.”
Felch says it is a scary time to be a student in America, but thinks young voices can make all the difference.
Another protest is planned for October 25th at the El Paso County Courts in downtown Colorado Springs.
Email Senior Reporter Meghan Glova at meghan.glova@koaa.com.
