By Cesar Canizales

Hundreds of high school students from across Seattle walked out of their schools Monday and marched to city hall to demand action from leaders after last week's fatal shooting of a student at Ingraham High School in North Seattle. 

Many carried signs outlining their demands and decrying misplaced priorities. 

One of those students spoke up about their demands.

“We are demanding action remain so we can resume to a safe learning environment.

We are demanding de-escalation, anti-racism and restorative justice training for all of our security educators. Let the security does not mean we want resource officers.”

The students let city hall know in no uncertain terms what their lives are like in the aftermath of the shooting that left one 17-year-old student dead. A 14-year-old has been arrested for the killing, and a 15-year-old has also been charged for rendering criminal assistance.

“It makes me sick to think that in many ways this could have been prevented. To our principal, Martin Floe, we demand change. To the Seattle Public School District, we demand change. And to the representatives of our state who want to control how guns are regulated. In turn, we, this year’s student, we demand change,” said one student. 

“We do not go to school to fear for our lives. This is an entirely preventable situation. And yet here we are standing before you,” said another student.

“We as a club and the community demand gun reform within King County. A turn in program exists for the voluntary removal of guns from households,” said another student activist

“We wake up every morning to prepare ourselves for our futures not our end. The violence on November 8 was not the first time students did not feel safe in our school building. This is a recurring issue that has demanded proper action for years, and yet society has let us down. Administration is letting us down. The district is letting us down.”

Members of the council joined the students, including Councilmember Debora Juarez, who addressed them. 

“We have failed you as your parents, as protectors. You should not have to learn the terms of active shooter. A review of reunification area,” Juarez said.

Some of the students recounted their harrowing experience during the shooting.

“The feeling of hopelessness and uncertainty was overwhelming. I started wondering if I could  do something that I wouldn't or couldn't walk away from. All I knew was that I needed to do whatever it took to keep my classmates safe. My classmate Nick Babington and I got filing cabinets and anything we could find to barricade the door,” one of the students said. “After securing the room the best we could, we started saying our good-byes. We were shaking hands. I called my father to make a phone call I never imagined myself making. The other seven people in the room with us were saying their own good-byes, and I love yous.” 

Photos: Omari Salisbury