By Gwynne Dulaney, Staff Writer
The recent tragedy of the Parkland High School shooting sparked outrage throughout the country at the government’s failure to ensure more strict gun laws. As a result, students across the U.S. are voicing their anger through marches, school walkouts and protests.
The students’ actions are part of their demands that lawmakers take action to prevent further tragedies like the shootings at Parkland High School and Sandy Hook Elementary School.
While the students’ actions are admirable and important, not all school administrators are as march-happy as their students. Many high schools around the country have sent out warnings to their students, stating that any participants in walkouts, marches, or protests during school hours will be punished. Furthermore, the students’ permanent records will reflect these disciplinary actions.
These punishments pose a large issue for students, especially for high school seniors who have applied to colleges. Luckily, many institutions sympathize with students fighting for social change.
This past week, Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges both issued statements showing solidarity with students protesting for change. The statements assured applicants to the colleges that any disciplinary actions from marching or walkouts will not affect their chances of admissions.
“The College respects the rights of students and prospective students to engage peacefully social issues of our time,” reads the statement from Bryn Mawr. It was posted on social media this past Monday following Haverford’s similar statement pmSunday.
Many felt that it was necessary for Bryn Mawr and Haverford to show explicit support for these high school students.
“I think that it’s important for [admissions] to state that they want students to make change,” said Geeta Sharma (Bryn Mawr ’20). Sharma was planning on taking action if admissions continued to not issue a statement regarding gun law protests. “That’s part of why we’re getting an education. We should be pushing students to advocate for change [both outside of the Haverford and Bryn Mawr as well as within it],” Sharma said.
Now more than ever, students are taking matters into their own hands as they fight for the safety of their peers. If powerful institutions with influence such as Haverford and Bryn Mawr show solidarity with these students and voice their willingness to stand alongside them, perhaps change can finally come about.
Photo from Bryn Mawr College’s Instagram
