March For Our Lives Leads School Walkout and Rally into Demand Common Sense Gun Safety Laws

Following the shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, TN, thousands of students across Nashville walked out of class at 10:13 AM on Monday, April 3rd, and to the State Capitol to demand an assault weapon ban and extreme risk protection orders.

Nashville, TN — On Monday, April 3rd at 10:13 AM CT, March For Our Lives led a walkout of school and marched to the Tennessee Capitol to demand action against gun violence. Speakers included youth leaders with March For Our Lives, Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman, Manuel Oliver the father of a Parkland victim, elected officials, and dozens of musical performances.

Precisely one week after the shooting at The Covenant School, students from Vanderbilt University, Belmont University, Hume-Fogg Academic High School, and other schools in the Nashville area walked out of their classrooms and into the streets with a clear message: Stop fighting culture wars and start regulating weapons of war. Thousands gathered outside the Tennessee State Capitol to demand action from the state legislature.

The shooting at The Covenant School last week added to the ever-growing list of preventable gun violence in Tennessee that turned deadly. It’s no surprise that Tennessee is one of the nation’s deadliest states for gun deaths, as it has some of the loosest gun laws, a clear correlation that tracks across other states with loose laws and deadly consequences. Meanwhile, state lawmakers have taken on unpopular bills like banning books and drag shows rather than protecting their neighbors and constituents from being shot. To that, students and young people say: BS.

“It shouldn’t have to take the loss of life, let alone six lives, for our lawmakers to care about gun safety,” said Ezri Tyler, an organizer with March For Our Lives and a student at Vanderbilt University. “Politicians have proven again that they care more about controlling our lives than protecting them. It’s not books or drag queens that are killing us, it’s the guns. Firearms are the leading cause of death for youth in Tennessee and the nation at large. It’s far past time for our elected officials to listen to our cries for help and actually do something about it.”

“It is already too late for our leaders to pass gun laws. Three children, three nine-year-olds, are dead in Tennessee because politicians want to play games,” said Brynn Jones, an organizer with March For Our Lives and a student at Vanderbilt University. “We can’t bring them back, but we can act now to prevent more children from dying. Our lives are on the line and we won’t take no for an answer. It’s time for our leaders to take action immediately.”

Students and neighbors in Nashville made clear their stance on Tennessee’s loose gun laws—enough is enough. They walked out and marched to turned their grief into action, and will return again and again until the job is done. When lawmakers refuse to act, kids die looking down the barrel of a gun. Young people will fight until we win.