Lake Forest High students stage gun control walkout a day after Highland Park lockdowns; ‘We cannot accept this as normal’

Close to 100 Lake Forest High students walked out of school Wednesday in calling for a national ban on assault weapons and other action to prevent gun violence, a day after a Highland Park High student brought a gun into the building, triggering lockdowns there and in nearby schools and public facilities.

Chants of “No more silence, end gun violence” rang out from the students and about 50 adults and family members in attendance outside Lake Forest High Wednesday, many wearing red shirts representing Lake County Moms Demand Action chapters.

Students Demand Action organizers in Lake Forest posted on social media ahead of Wednesday’s walkout demanding that, “action be taken against gun violence that plagues schools in America.”

Lake Forest High senior Alia Attar and junior Sophia Zar, who organized the walkout and are also officers with the school’s Human Rights Club, called for governmental action in response to last summer’s Fourth of July parade mass shooting in Highland Park, Tuesday’s lockdown and other mass shootings that have occurred at schools and elsewhere throughout their lives.

The Lake County student walkouts are part of nationwide demonstrations by students in response to the Nashville, Tennessee mass shooting on March 27 at The Covenant School. Three children and three adults were killed.

Attar said, “More needs to be done about gun violence.”

Zar read aloud the names of those killed in the Nashville school shooting. “We demand action because we’re fed up,” she said.

Highland Park High students staged a similar walkout on Tuesday demanding an assault weapons ban, but were locked down less than 20 minutes later after administrators received reports of a student who brought a gun to campus.

No shots were fired in the incident, but Highland Park officials confirmed Wednesday that a handgun was recovered and a juvenile student, “was apprehended, taken into custody and charged with possession of a firearm in a school and disorderly conduct.”

Four other students were detained for questioning by police and released later in the day, and they are not expected to be charged in relation to the incident, officials said.

Ahead of Wednesday’s student walkout, Lake Forest High Principal Erin Lenart sent a districtwide email noting that the event was not a “school-sponsored activity,” and that students who participate may be marked with an unexcused absence from class.

The email said, “LFHS does not condone or condemn any student’s participation in any student peaceful demonstration,” and referred to District 115′s Board of Education policy about student political activities.

“The School Board recognizes that each student has a right to freedom of expression, which includes the right to peacefully assemble,” the policy reads.

It continues, “Students shall not be disturbed in the exercise of their constitutionally guaranteed right to assemble peaceably and to publicly and privately express ideas and opinions, provided that such exercise does not infringe on the rights of others and does not interfere with the operation of the schools.

“Participation of students in demonstrations and protests off-campus is left to their own discretion,” the policy says.

Zar and Attar felt it was worth it to walk out despite any potential discipline or unexcused absence.

“I’m just shaking,” Zar said as the walkout concluded. “This is just so incredible. It feels powerful, and we weren’t expecting this amount of people to come out. This is really beautiful, and I’m really grateful.”

Attar said, “I’m really proud of the turnout, I honestly thought it was going to be around 20 students. We got our message out.”

Attendee Sandy Hart, a Lake Bluff Democrat who chairs the Lake County Board, said, “I just think storing weapons safely is simple.”

Illinois State Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Highwood, who also stood on the sidewalk and public parkway area, said, “I’m just here to support the students.”

Classes resumed at Highland Park High on Wednesday after students were released around 12:30 p.m. following Tuesday’s lockdown.

District 113 Superintendent Bruce Law told the News-Sun Wednesday that students and staff were “remarkably calm and resolute” in response to the emergency lockdown, but said the prominent threat of gun violence at American schools is a devastating reality.

He said students and educators in Highland Park are “strong” and “resilient” in the face of what they’ve been through since the parade mass shooting, then emphasized the key role played by student witnesses who reported the presence of a firearm in the building.

Law also spoke of a weariness and anxiety that has become constant in educational environments in the wake of mass shootings close to home and around the country.

“Maybe this has become normalized for (students and teachers),” Law said, “but we cannot accept this as normal.”