2 Charlotte Area Students Are Making National Headlines After School Walkout

By
Scott Jensen
-
4533

This past Wednesday, over 2,545 schools across the nation, and at least a dozen schools around the Charlotte area participated in the national #Enough National School Workout.

The 17-minute walkout saught to remember the lives of the 17 people killed at Stoneman Douglas and press lawmakers to specifically support the following legislation items;
  • Banning Assault Weapons & High Capacity Magazines / S. 2095
  • Expanding Background Checks to All Gun Sales / S 2009
  • Passing Gun Violence Restraining Order Law / H.R. 2598 /  S. 1212
  • Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act / S.1856 / H.R. 1556

While a number of schools in Charlotte had organized walkouts with hundreds of students participating, some schools were less than enthusiastic about it.

One school just west of Charlotte, in the town of Belmont, is now making national headlines after two of its students decided to defy school administrators to make their voices heard.

via Erin Tracy-Blackwood

At 10am, 16-year-old Atraiyu Yeldell and his friend, Michael Humphries were the only two students to walk out of Belmont’s Stuart W. Cramer High School, even after being threatened with suspension.

“It was very quiet, and as I approached [the door to exit the school] I heard the administrators calling my name. One of the administrators even tried stepping in front of the door. I just had my mind set on doing what was right,” Yeldell told Vice News.

After walking around the school in 30 degree weather holding signs that read, “Can we live?” and “Save the students”, Yeldell and Humphries returned to the school to await their punishment.

Another North Carolina student, in the town of Wilson, also made national headlines for being the only student in his school to participate in the walkout.

BET tweeted the video that Justin made after walking out of school, which has now received over 110,000 views;

Using the power of social media and his moment in the spotlight, Justin also created a GoFundMe page to help raise money for his college tuition.

In less than 2 days, he’s already raised over $12,000

What do you think about Wednesday’s school walkout?

Comments

comments