The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High  School shooting in Parkland, Florida, was just one of 12 school shootings that occurred within the first few months of this year.

Students all across the U.S. are concerned for their school safety since the shootings have been happening back to back. The Parkland shooting triggered bottled up emotions in children in school because this incident pushed them past their limit. School is supposed to be a place of protection and a safe haven for all students. However, students have become a threat to themselves. Laws around guns are too lenient and lawmakers don’t realize that once firearms are in a home anyone has access to them, especially children.

My connections to Broward County Florida make the impact of the shooting to me much worse. To hear about such a tragedy happening in my hometown proves that no school is safe from any disaster. I was bon in a state that is considered the “sunshine state” and ever since this major event occurred he sunshine state became a cloudy state. The calls I received from my family near Broward County were devastating especially since a family friend graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High three years ago. School shootings are easily preventable but because our president refuses to tend to the needs of the public, things like this will continue to happen. Students can chant “Protect our schools, not our guns,” but nothing will be done about it unless a politician’s child is in the events of a school shooting.

Students protested against the gun usage in our country. Feelings of outrage and discontempt were expressed during the walkout that took place on March 14. It demonstrated how students have been pushed passed the limit because of the dangers that can happen at any moment at any school. Signs were held up, chants were repeated and emotions were released. Cars honked as students chanted in favor of gun reform and videos of the protest were posted all over Snapchat giving more attention to the cause.

The event honored the victims, which consisted of 14 high school students and three teachers who were killed in the Parkland shooting on Feb. 14. Students have had enough of the unpredictable danger that is happening in high schools across the country.  The walkout was a way for students to have a voice. Not just as students but as a whole. We demanded for something to be done and with the protest, students collaborated to become one voice that was louder than any other single voice. The government’s decision should not be made until they hear our voices.