North Carolina students walk out of schools to protest gun violence

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Students across North Carolina left their classrooms Friday as part of a nationwide call to end gun violence in schools. At least 12 schools participated in the walkouts, including Weaver Academy in Greensboro. 

The effort was part of the Students Demand Action movement, a national protest led by young people who say they are tired of living with the fear of school shootings.

“We’re, like, fed up with the school shootings and everything, so that’s why we’re doing this,” said Weaver High School student Caliyah Garrett.

Garrett said the issue goes beyond politics.

“I’m seeing on the internet and everything they’re arguing about whether this is a Republican or Democratic situation,” Garrett said. “I think this is a everybody situation.”

Fellow Weaver student Rani Umrani agreed, adding that the risks feel personal for students.

“As students, we are the people who will be affected with gun violence,” Umrani said. “There’s a lot of school shootings, there’s a lot of guns at homes, and students, we are very affected.”

According to a report from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, there were more than 13,000 acts of crime and violence in state schools during the 2022–23 school year. Over 7,000 of those acts occurred in high schools, more than 4,000 in middle schools and more than 1,500 in elementary schools.

In response to Friday’s demonstrations, Guilford County Schools released a statement saying:

“Some of our students participated in a peaceful walkout for about ten minutes as part of a national protest against gun violence,” the district’s director of media relations Gabby Brown said. “Students remained safely on campus and were monitored during this time.”

Beyond Greensboro, walkouts were organized at seven high schools and at N.C. State in Wake County, as well as one school each in Charlotte, Hillsborough and Wilmington.

The school protests echo a broader national movement calling for stricter gun laws, safer campuses and more resources to address violence prevention.