Thoughts on Protests

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So you may have heard: there have been some pretty epic protests in the United States over the past few months. I mean, if you follow the news at all, they've sort of been impossible to miss. After the Parkland shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (hat over heart), several student walkouts have taken place. I myself participated in the walkout on March 14th, marching out of my Spanish classroom at 10 AM and releasing 17 balloons over a span of 17 minutes. Together, standing on the track, my peers and I were honoring the Parkland victims. It was incredibly empowering to act upon my constitutional rights and stand up to brutal gun violence.
I grew up in wake of the Columbine shooting, and consistently heard about more attacks on television. Rocori High School. Sandy Hook. I remember being at my grandparent's house having lunch when we heard about Arapahoe High School. According to Kara Fox of CNN News, the United States is "Home to liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the most mass shootings in the world." Does that sound wrong to you, or is it just me? We also own the most guns in the world. Now, I am not supremely educated on the topic of gun rights. I am, however, entitled to an opinion, and I believe that it is wrong that I grew up in the Mass Shooting Generation. That shouldn't even be a thing. Needless to say, I was extraordinarily proud to walk out with my fellows across the USA (and the world) in support of #EnoughIsEnough. 
Mind you, some of the teachers at my school weren't so thrilled. They thought protesting during school was ridiculous. They said that it disrupted out education. I won't deny that the protests have taken away from school time, but the walkout on March 14th? That was seventeen minutes. I couldn't even have learned how to conjugate a new verb in Spanish in that amount of time! Despite this, there was reportedly much grumbling in the teachers' lounge.
Enter Cool Teachers. Who are the Cool Teachers? They're the ones who supported us in walking out. Who believe that our voices matter. They are the teachers who constantly challenge the students and push our boundaries to make us stronger.  In disapproval of their co-workers' complaints about student rallies, the Cool Teachers purchased shirts. These shirts featured a Revolutionary colonial chap, and a meme that was something along the lines of "I disagree with your point of view, but support your right to express it." How completely amazing is that? They protested others protesting our rights to protest. Woah. That's a mouthful.

That is also why I am overjoyed to support the teachers of my school district today as they march on Capitol Hill. Schools are so poorly funded, and our dedicated educators are paid so little. It is completely unfair. I know few people who are so devoted to their job than teachers. I know few people who work as hard as teachers. To put things into perspective, weekend relaxation for my math teacher translates to going to Starbucks, getting a Frappuccino, and... grading.
Typically, it is the teachers who instruct the students. But today, it might just be the students who are inspiring the teachers. I am incredibly proud of the protests these past few months; they show that our voices really do count for something, and that one by one, we can change the world.

Sta Fortis,
Maya

Photo by Heather Mount on Unsplash, Photo by Alex Radelich on Unsplash

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