Women’s March Youth EMPOWER is calling for students, teachers, school administrators, parents and allies to take part in a#NationalSchoolWalkout for 17 minutes at 10 a.m. across every time zone on March 14, 2018 to protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods. We need action. Students and allies are organizing the national school walkout to demand Congress pass legislation to keep us safe from gun violence at our schools, on our streets and in our homes and places of worship.

Citizens Leadership Academy is a Breakthrough middle school model that is grounded in civic engagement.  Students at our two middle schools, CLA in Cleveland's University Circle/Hough neighborhood,  and CLA-East in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood, study moral courage and community activism throughout sixth, seventh, and eighth grade.

The CLA walkout will take the walkout a step further.  Our walkout by the students and staff at CLA and CLA-East will be "17 +7" -- to protest in memory of the 17 students and staff from Parkland and the 7 children killed with guns in the U.S. on an average day (Everytownresearch.org).  Our protest will run from 10 a.m. to 10:24 a.m.  Most CLA families have been touched by gun violence in their families, circle of friends, and neighborhoods.  The #Enough Walkout and CLA's "17 + 7" protest walk will be a first step to civic engagement in turning these frightening statistics around.

Students and staff have the right to teach and learn in an environment free from the worry of being gunned down in their classrooms or on their way home from school. Parents have the right to send their kids to school in the mornings and see them home alive at the end of the day.

We are not safe at school. We are not safe in our cities and towns. Congress must take meaningful action to keep us safe and pass federal gun reform legislation that address the public health crisis of gun violence. We want Congress to pay attention and take note: many of us will vote this November and many others will join in 2020.

Join us in saying #ENOUGH!