Sacred Heart University students, faculty and staff walked out of class on the first anniversary of the National School Walkout.
The event served as a memorial to the students who died in the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, last year and also as a protest against gun violence.
“I think it’s important that young people don’t just see this as a time to get out of class but it’s meaningful to them and I think it’s meaningful to them, so if people want to do it, they should and they should be prompted to remember,” said Professor Brian Stiltner, who helped organize the event.
Stiltner says that he hopes events like this can make a difference with legislators.
“There are a lot of practical focus laws that do something concrete. Like the one we emphasized today: Ethan’s Law, which is being considered in the state of Connecticut. [It] can protect young people from improperly stored guns.”
Stiltner says he hopes walkouts will keep young people get politically active.