Teens walk out in gun violence protest

CELINA - Hundreds of local students walked out of classes on Wednesday morning in protest of gun violence one month after the shooting in Parkland, Florida.

At 10 a.m., protesters nationwide at schools and universities filed out of classes, leaving school for 17 minutes - one minute for each of the lives lost in the Parkland shooting.

Julia Meyer, one of the student organizers at Celina High School, said while she was sure some joined the walkout to get out of class, most of the roughly 40 participants were there for a good cause. On Wednesday morning, Meyer and another student spoke up during the walkout to tell other students the event wasn't an excuse to be out of school. If students had come because their friends were there or because the popular kids were there, she suggested they go back to class.

"This is a serious issue," Meyer told them.

She encouraged protesters to discuss gun control for the 17 minutes or to stay silent in honor of those killed in Parkland.

Meyer said she personally believes some form of sensible gun control is needed to help keep schools safe. When she heard the news of the Parkland shooting, it affected how she and her friends felt about coming to school the next day, she said. She referenced a threat that had been investigated at Celina High School last year in which some students were reported to have talked about "how they would have done Columbine better and what they would do if it were Celina," according to a report from Celina Police Chief Tom Wale.

"When I found out that the shooting happened down in Florida, a lot of my friends, we were scared. It was one of those things where, we shouldn't have to be talking about it at the lunch table and in a classroom. A lot of us were worried about what could happen in areas surrounding here and all that," Meyer said.

Meyer is also one of the students helping to organize the local March for Our Lives on March 24.

Celina High School Principal Phil Metz had escorted students to the front of the school during the walkout and stayed with them to keep the protest safe. Metz said he had almost no prior notice of the walkout, but administrators wanted to ensure students were safe as they exercised their right to protest.

Celina Middle School students were allowed to attend an assembly in the gymnasium to recognize the 17 who died in Florida, according to superintendent Ken Schmiesing. Middle school principal Ann Esselstein said an announcement was made in the morning that students could come to the gym if they chose. She estimated about 150 came to walk in silence around the gym. Toward the end, Esselstein asked the students if any wanted to speak.

"Very good thoughts were shared. It was a very positive, well-spent time. It was a great teachable moment," Esselstein said.

Brian Woods, Parkway Middle School principal, said about 30 students participated in the walkout at his school, meeting by the front doors to discuss gun violence at schools or to have moments of silence.

No other Mercer County schools, including Wright State University-Lake Campus, reported participation in the walkout.

Superintendent Justin Firks of Fort Recovery Local Schools told the newspaper on Tuesday that his administrative team had discussed the possibility of a student walkout but was not entirely sure how to react. Whether administrators would discipline students or staff who participated was a "tough question," Firks said. He suggested if a student showed interest in the cause of the march out, school officials could talk with him or her.

Jason Wood, Coldwater Exempted Village Schools superintendent, said nobody had approached school officials about a walkout, but that if students had been interested, officials would have been willing to evaluate the situation and offer them a safe meeting environment. No disciplinary action would have been taken for participation.

Marion Local Superintendent Mike Pohlman wasn't expecting any participation from district students and hadn't contemplated how administration might handle a walkout.

Schools in Minster, New Bremen and St. Marys also reported no student participation.

"I think we have some level-headed kids who know that's not the way to protest," said St. Marys City Schools interim superintendent Howard Overman.

- Reporters Ed Gebert and Tom Stankard contributed to this report.