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One week later: Local students discuss safety goals following walkout

The meeting was a chance for students to understand the process and procedure of introducing school safety recommendations at their high school and a district-wide level.

Nearly a week after hundreds of local students walked out of their classrooms to hold rallies in support of stricter gun laws and school safety measures, some are remaining active in the pursuit to make a change within their districts.

Students with the Student Coalition Against Violence (SCAV) at Firestone High School joined in an informal meeting with Akron School Board Member Lisa Mansfield at Nervous Dog coffee shop in Akron Tuesday afternoon.

“We asked Mrs. Mansfield, questions to better understand the process we need to go through because it's only been a week,” SCAV member Megan May said. “We need to understand the process before we dive in and make mistakes.”

The meeting was a chance for students to understand the process and procedure of introducing school safety recommendations at their high school and a district-wide level.

“Some of the things that we want to see changed, like we've discussed, is when people can enter the [school] building and when they cannot enter the building, different protocols for our Alice Drills, which is our lockdown drills in case there is an active shooter,” Kody Cross said. “This is the first time I’ve been politically active. You have the momentum. [The walkout] wasn’t a one-time thing. This is far from over.”

Senior Bree Chambers spoke on the steps of the high school during the walkout, delivering a poem in front of her classmates that gained social media attention.

“I wanted it to be factual but also emotional in a way that people can understand how scary it sometimes is to be in school.” Chambers said “I think it’s important that we have those difficult conversation. When we’re often discounted and disregarded, I think it’s important to show that we have something to say just like everyone else in this world.”

Megan May and Molly Bregar intend to travel to DC for “March For Our Lives” rally on March 24, while others like Kody Cross are planning to participate in local marches.

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