Editor: I was across the street from Bradwell Institute at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 14.

I went to give support to any students that might do a walk out on the National Walk Out Day, which was supposed to happen across the United States. Its purpose being a remembrance of the 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

It was supposed to last 17 minutes, one minute for each student and faculty member killed.

I did not know if any students from Bradwell would walk out. The reason is a memo was sent out that Bradwell and the Liberty County School System would not participate in any type of walk out. They, in essence,. stated that any student participating in the walk out would be punished in some way, probably suspension.

On March 2, a Friday, 11 students walked out during class change to do a 17 second remembrance of those from Marjory Stoneman. As a result of this action they were suspended for five days.

My granddaughter, who is in JROTC, was one of those students. She not only got suspended but also lost her rank. She knew the consequences of her actions but went with what she believed to be the right thing to do, to bring attention to those who lives were taken as a result of having such loose gun control.

My granddaughter has rights and exercised them. I did not know if she would participate in the National Walk Out because she cannot afford to be suspended again.

I am proud of those 11 students that walked out on March 11. They are heroes to me because they were brave enough to exercise their rights. They are the leaders of the future.

I want to thank the two police officers who were there that day to protect those 11 students.

I want to thank Hinesville Interim Police Chief Bill Kirkendall for assigning police officers to Bradwell to protect the students in case there was a walk out on March 14, and the police officers themselves. It was a comfort knowing that had there been a walk out, the students would have been looked after.

I just wish the Bradwell students would have been given the opportunity to participate in the national walk out without fear of repercussion.

How ironic, because isn’t Georgia one of the states were many demonstrations were held to speak out for people’s rights?

The lives of 15 students, with their whole futures ahead of them, were taken in a senseless act of violence. The main reason is automatic weapons and all other types of weapons are so easy to obtain, by both young school-age children and adults.

Students in other countries did school walk outs in solidatory with the United States.

Maria Riva

Hinesville