Iowa students walk out of school to protest guns

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KWWL) – Hundreds of Iowa City junior high and high school students walked out of class Monday to march downtown in response to the Florida school shooting last week that killed 17 people.

Students were marching with megaphones and signs chanting “not one more!”

“Today, junior high and high school students across our district participated in a planned student walkout calling for government action to prevent school shootings. The District applauds the engagement of students in social action and honors their free speech rights. Students were encouraged to notify their parents if they planned to participate,” said the Iowa City Community School District.

There was no staff supervision of the walkout and the district said students will not get detention for leaving campus and participating.

The Iowa City Police Department says they got wind of the walk out on social media, and police vehicles could be seen patrolling the streets keeping an eye on the students and at times blocking traffic so they could safely get across the street.

Student Dean Wortman held a sign with the names of the Florida victims listed on it.

“Because I don’t feel safe in school at this point,” said Dean.