They’re scared at school. Here’s what Tri-City teens are doing about it

When the intercom sounds in class, Isabella Robertson feels scared.

“You think, ‘Is it going to be a lockdown?’ ” the Richland High School senior said.

Or something worse?

That’s why Robertson is helping organize a march to call for concrete changes to make schools safer.

It’s a local version of the national “March For Our Lives,” and it’s set March 24 in Richland.

Students across the Tri-Cities may also walk out of class Wednesday as part of a nationwide protest to urge lawmakers to act on gun violence.

The walkout starts at 10 a.m. and runs for 17 minutes — one minute for each of the students and staff killed in last month’s Parkland, Fla., high school shooting.

Tori Ashley, 17, a senior at Delta High in Pasco, is helping lead a walkout at her school.

While the national protest is focused on pressing for greater gun control, Ashley and her fellow organizers want to promote school safety.

Their demonstration isn’t to make a statement about guns, but to “raise awareness about school safety and the need for more of it,” she said.

They settled on that after hearing from classmates who wanted a more inclusive message, Ashley said.

The students notified school officials about their walkout plans.

Women’s March Youth Empower is organizing the nationwide walkout, saying “our elected officials must do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to this violence.”

The national platform includes banning assault weapons and high-capacity gun magazines, expanding background checks, passing gun violence restraining order legislation and stopping the militarization of police.

Ashley said school violence has shaken her.

After a safety drill, “it hit me really hard that I would have to be prepared for someone to come into my school and hurt me while I’m just trying to get an education,” she said.

School officials across the Tri-Cities are preparing in case local students join the national walkout — giving a heads up to police and announcing how absences will be handled.

In Kennewick, Richland and Pasco schools, students who walk out will be marked unexcused unless a parent excuses them.

Richland school leaders aren’t sure if any students will take part, but if they do, “administrators will do everything possible to ensure their safety; this includes calling local police for assistance,” a district statement said.

Local police already have been given a heads up, the statement said, adding that district officials have been in “ongoing and open communication” with student leaders.

In Pasco, “school administrators continue to be in close contact with students and will continue to monitor social media for updates,” a statement said.

The district isn’t sponsoring any walkouts, but “will take appropriate action to ensure order, as well as student and staff safety as needed” if any students do walk out, a district statement said.

The Richland High students putting together the local March For Our Lives later this month aren’t leading a walkout at their school, although they may take part.

Their March 24 event is nonpartisan.

They’re pushing for two things: stricter background checks, and wider and better access to mental health care.

For them, it’s personal.

“School is supposed to be a safe place. You’re supposed to be there to learn. You shouldn’t be looking behind your back like, ‘am I going to get shot today?’ ” Robertson said.

“People are scared and rightfully so. It’s very disturbing to see how it’s progressed to the point where you can go to school, but you maybe don’t know if you’re coming back,” said Janae Wideman, a senior.

The march’s other organizers include Dylan Tonn, Logan Jackson, Rachel Wilson-Bates and Elise Adkisson.

They’re all juniors or seniors at Richland High. They became close after organizing a Black History Month assembly at the school earlier this year.

When the Parkland shooting happened, the teens felt like enough was enough, they said.

“Something needs to happen. This happens too much. It shouldn’t be normalized. We shouldn’t be like, oh, another school shooting,” Jackson said.

Their march is at 3 p.m. March 24 at Howard Amon Park in Richland. Some adults may speak, but the lineup largely is teens.

They’ve reached out to students across the Tri-Cities. They’ve also reached out to local political groups — Republican and Democrat.

They’ve taken inspiration from the Parkland teens who survived their school’s shooting and began speaking out.

The Richland teens said they may be young, but they’re committed.

“That’s where the change is going to come from,” Tonn said. “It’s not going to come from adults right now. It’s going to come from the new generation.”

You can follow the local March For Our Lives at twitter.com/mfoltc and Facebook under “March For Our Lives - Tri-Cities.”

The teen organizers also are raising money to cover costs, from signs to permits. To donate, go to gofundme.com/marchforourlivestc. Anything leftover will go to the Stoneman Douglas Victims Fund.

This story was originally published March 13, 2018 at 7:04 PM with the headline "They’re scared at school. Here’s what Tri-City teens are doing about it."