UPDATE MARCH 12: Clark County School District are receiving questions from the community and students about its policy regarding student walkouts and other protests.
The questions should only grow in volume as the "Enough: National School Walkout" on March 14 draws near.
CCSD issued the following statement:
The district shares the community's concerns about school safety and continues to partner with local law enforcement and other agencies throughout Clark County to provide training and to ensure that staff and students are prepared for any type of emergency that might occur at a school.
CCSD is also hearing from students who are interested in participating in a national walkout on March 14 regarding
school safety. CCSD has sent home messaging to parents to clarify some misperceptions in the community with regard to the district's position on walkouts.Part of the job of educators is to encourage students to be active participants in democracy. CCSD supports all students who are willing to take the time to research major issues in the news and express their opinions/advocate for what they think is right. The district encourages students to express their opinions through petitions, by speaking up on social media, and by making statements to the media, when appropriate.
Some students have approached school administrators about organizing events on campus to talk about school safety. As long as the administrators pre-approve those events and the students remain safe and on campus, this is an appropriate way for students to express themselves.
Nevada law (NRS 392.040) requires all children between seven and 18 years of age to attend school. Nevada law (NRS 392.130) also requires the district to mark students unexcused and notify their parents if they do not show up to class.
CCSD strives to ensure students are safe during the school day, and cannot monitor the safety of students who walk off of campus without parental or administrative permission. Therefore, students who miss class to engage in non-approved activities will be marked tardy or unexcused.
If a student misses more than 30 minutes of the instructional period, the student has missed an essential part of the learning experience. Per Nevada law, students with an unexcused absence should not be permitted to participate in athletic activities on the day of the absence. As always, parents can excuse their students for activities outside of the school, as they see fit.
CCSD urges all students and parents to communicate with their school administration if they have continuing concerns or questions about any planned walkouts or the district’s policy on absenteeism.
The tone of the statement is much different than the perception many students and parents had after hearing their students would face repercussions for participating in the protest.
If you have questions about Wednesday's walkouts please contact your child's school for more information.
ORIGINAL STORY: The nationwide group behind the Women's March is organizing a national school walkout following Florida's high school shooting.
The group is calling for students, teachers and parents to take part in walking out of school for 17 minutes - a nod to the 17 lives lost in the Feb. 14 shooting - to "protest Congress' inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to gun violence."
"Enough: National School Walkout" is being scheduled for 10 a.m. local time across the U.S. on March 14.
Clark County School District is telling parents that students will be punished if they partake in National Walkout Day.
Any students that leave their classroom will be marked tardy and therefore ineligible to compete in extracurricular sports on that day.
