Students at Old Bethpage high school walk out in solidarity with victims of Uvalde school shooting
PLAINVIEW, N.Y. -- June 1 marks the start of Gun Violence Awareness Month, and Wednesday, hundreds of students walked out of a Long Island high school in protest, and grief.
As CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reports, they say they are mobilizing for change, to make school a safe place.
Students poured out of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School, united in frustration and fear. They call their walkout "a call to action."
"The generations before us keep promising every time there is a school shooting, this will never happen again. Change needs to happen. This will be the last time. And yet we haven't seen that change," said senior Jessica Knaster.
They were met with empty seats for the 19 students and two teachers lost last week in the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
The latest school shooting is prompting the question: How many more?
"We want this to stop. We should focus on that, not on what sets us apart on solving this. It's that we want this to be solved, we don't want us to be the country known for this," said senior Ashley Woo.
Last week, schools emptied in protest across the nation. Students say their concerns continually go unanswered by elected officials.
"It doesn't matter than 21 people died in Texas. There is still nothing that protects children nationally," said sophomore Yoav Muscal.
Teachers and administrators also joined the walkout, emphasizing the solution is not only about guns.
"When we talk about gun violence, we have to talk about mental health. There are not enough providers. There are not enough resources for our students, once we identify them in need our families, and it's really a problem," said Mary O'Meara, superintendent of Plainview-Old Bethpage School District. "It's who - we usually know who they are, but once we service them in school, there is no where else for them to go."
Tears flowed as the Uvalde children were named.
Students are urging leaders to find common ground, the status quo clearly not working. Four years after the same school walked out after the Parkland shooting.
"It's unfortunate we are in the same exact place we were four years ago," said Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School Principal Jim Murray.
"Students are realizing it's up to us to make this change," said Kaitlyn Roenzweig of Students Against Violence Everywhere.
"It's just sad we have to be doing this, just to have our voices heard," said senior Amy Brickel.
Students want their walkouts to send a message, but know their voices will be heard even louder when they turn 18 and vote.
This Friday is Gun Violence National Awareness Day, also known as "Wear Orange" day, founded to honor survivors and victims of gun violence.