This is The Sound of One Voice




A national school protest for gun safety is a tricky thing when your child is in elementary school. They are not really old enough to walk out by themselves. At Randolph Heights, and I imagine in other schools, there are many parents who had not told their children about the Parkland shooting, especially the parents of young kids.

I remember that feeling of wanting to protect them as long as possible. I don't remember telling Beatrix about Sandy Hook, but somehow she found out anyway, and I think her fear was exacerbated by me not telling her. So since then, we've talked about mass shootings, especially in schools. Sadly, right now, this means we do a LOT of talking about guns.

Beatrix really wanted to participate in the protest, especially since we are not going to be in town for the one on March 24. I had emailed out to a bunch of other parents, but not really heard anything back. But she was adamant, even when I told her she would likely be the only one. So last night, we made a big sign, and decided to sing "One Voice" by the Wailin' Jennies, as a way to make our point.

I got to school a minute early today, and when standing outside her classroom, her friend Frankie's mom showed up to pull Frankie out to protest. So we walked outside and around the school, with Beatrix's sign that said "Keep Children Safe at School" and Frankie's sign that said, simply and elegantly, #enough.

Patrick met us in front. Then the front door opened and Principal Ropella came out to join us. Then a minute later, my friend Laura and her 3rd grader and 1st grader. So three 4th grades from Ms. Gooden's class, and a 1st grader.

We all stood in our small group and talked about why it was important to protest. We waved at cars, who waved and honked back. We all sang "One Voice." And then, at 10:17, we went back in and went on with our day, knowing that there were seventeen students who could never do that again.

It was a tiny protest but a poignant one, and I am all the more proud of our kids that it was important to them. And I'm sad that it was necessary at all.


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