Haverhill mayor declares Wear Orange days in response to gun violence
Jun. 9—HAVERHILL — Mayor James Fiorentini announced that June 3-5 would be observed as Wear Orange days in the city in recognition of gun violence awareness.
Haverhill High School students listened to Fiorentini's proclamation, showing their support by wearing orange shirts.
The Wear Orange campaign encourages people to don the bright and bold color for National Gun Violence Awareness Day to acknowledge the lives lost and affected by gun violence.
The national weekend event packed with orange since 2015 has now surfaced in Haverhill schools to spread awareness.
"The fear (of gun violence) is in Haverhill ... People across the city, state and country will wear orange to honor the lives cut short and impacted by gun violence every day in America. It's a simple and powerful action," Fiorentini said, urging all students to participate.
The mayor's proclamation comes just days after a Haverhill High School student was taken into police custody after making ultimately baseless threats that resulted in the school being locked down, according to a Haverhill police Twitter post.
A handful of students expressed angst over the potential for gun violence in Haverhill schools against the national backdrop of multiple recent mass shootings.
"We come to school to learn and better the future for ourselves, our families and society. The thought of our school being next is an ever-present looming anxiety faced across the nation, especially at Haverhill High," one student read aloud at the event.
Superintendent of Haverhill Public Schools Margaret Marotta, who made an appearance at the event, noted that as worries persist, the school community must remain strong.
"I worry for all of our safety every single day ... but we have to be aware, be vigilant and rely on one another to speak up," she said, advising students to report any activity they feel may be suspicious or alarming. "We have to make a statement that we are not going to tolerate it (gun violence) anymore."
Recently, the Haverhill Public Schools leadership team released a message containing a list of procedures in place for school security designed to respond to potential intruders.
Chief of Haverhill Police Robert Pistone, who joined Fiorentini, complimented the efforts made by the Haverhill school community.
"We are very fortunate we live in a community where we have support and safety in our schools," Pistone said.
The Wear Orange days are primed to be a valuable tool for students to use their "powerful voices" to call attention to gun violence and hope for "change at the national level," Fiorentini said.
