Day of Expression distracts from student-led walkout

Staff Editorial

Mira Costa students walked out in solidarity with the Women’s March Youth EMPOWER group, a national organization that strives to empower youth to protest and be active in politics. Concurrent with the walkout, Costa’s administration planned a Day of Expression in order to allow students to have a safe place on campus to voice their thoughts and opinions, Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale said. While the administration’s decision to give students an outlet to protest is commendable, the organization and the timing of the event detracted from the message of the walkout to stand in solidarity with Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Seniors Emily Angstreich, Amalia Lohuis, Parnia Mazhar and Jayin Patel helped organize a memorial and walkout which began in front of the administration building. The march consisted of 17 students speaking out about gun control and reading 17 memorial biographies in honor of the victims. After speaking, all participating students marched to Artesia Blvd. to protest with signs. At the same time, the administration organized a separate event with other activities in which students could partake, such as going to the Mustang Morning News room to record 17-second videos that would be sent to California’s Congressional Delegation, planting 17 rose bushes with the Mustang Club and other activities to honor the victims of the shooting held by Reflections, Poetry Out Loud and the Visual Arts programs.

At 10 a.m. in every time zone across the nation, students walked out of their classes for 17 minutes in order to bring awareness to the 17 victims of MSDHS. By holding the Day of Expression at the same time as the national walk out, the administration drew attention away from the Costa students who organized and participated in the walk out. The contrasting expressions between the administration and the students at Costa highlighted an unnecessary divide between staff and students.

During the Day of Expression, the administration used false advertising regarding the participation of certain clubs and organizations on campus in order to promote the event. Administrators asked senior Matthew Gutierrez, President of the Young Democrats club, if he would like to participate in a gun control debate against the Young Republicans club, yet senior Matthew Gutierrez refused in order to pay respect to the 17 victims at MSD, he said. In the email sent out to parents, staff and community members, as well as a description of the event on the Costa website, the school advertised that the clubs would debate, without consent from both organizations, and despite the fact the Young Democrats club refused to debate with the Young Republicans club.

During A.M. Office Hours, the bells that mark the end of the study session rang 12 minutes early. According to Dale, the bells rang early because after the moment of silence and band performance in the Mustang Mall, “no one really knew what to do.” Regardless, the bell should not have rung early as it interrupted one of the readings of the student-run walkout. Overall, the bell schedule interfered with students’ attempts to honor the memories of the victims from the Parkland shooting by reducing the time allotted for Office Hours.

The Los Angeles affiliate of the National Broadcasting Company, KNBC, broadcast a story on Mar. 14 on how Costa students chose not to participate in a walkout; instead organized the Day of Expression. This however omitted the fact that upwards of 300 students participated, according to the organizing members of the walkout. There was no mention of the students who spoke at and organized the walkout, and instead the story was entirely dedicated to the Day of Expression. This reporting drew attention away from the national walkout and the students’ hard work.

While it was admirable that the administration strove to support the cause and allow students to express themselves and their opinions, it would have been more effective to join together with students to create one united event. The administration’s lack of direct respect for the Costa students who planned a march in accordance with the Women’s March Youth EMPOWER group is apparent through the timing and the lack of recognition.

The efforts behind both the student organized walkout and the Day of Expression are undeniable due to the large turnout and clear intent to honor the victims of the shooting. However, the administrations wavering support of the the walkout took away from the student’s voices.