Oyster Bay and East Norwich students remember Parkland shooting victims

As expected, hundreds of students from across Nassau County took part in Wednesday’s planned National School Walkout to remember the 17 victims of the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School a month ago and to call for stricter gun controls, according to student activists and educators.

The group Women’s March Youth Empower acted as a national organizer of the walkout, which took place not only in the United States, but also at schools in Europe and Australia.

The event was called simply #Enough.

It began at 10 a.m. Students walked out of their schools for precisely 17 minutes — one minute for each of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas victims.

According to a post on its Twitter feed, Women's March Youth Empower is seeking:

• To enact a resolution declaring gun violence a national health crisis.

• To ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

• To expand background checks on all weapons.

• To pass a federal gun violence restraining order.

• To pass an act "to demilitarize" law enforcement.

Ahead of the walkout, Nassau police said that security was stepped up at high schools across the county, but would offer no further details.

Oyster Bay-East Norwich High School held an assembly at 9:45 a.m. prior to going outside at 10 a.m. to join in the nationwide student walkout. The district’s security team was present at the entrances to the high school.

“Many of our students chose to participate in the memorial in the gymnasium as well as the 17 minutes of silence outside on the OBHS tennis court,” said Superintendent Dr. Laura Seinfeld. “Some students chose to attend the memorial service and then stayed indoors, rather than joining others outside.”

On its website, Women’s March Youth Empower states that the walkout came about because of “Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods.”

“We need action,” the site states. “Students and allies are organizing the national school walkout to demand Congress pass legislation to keep us safe from gun violence at our schools, on our streets and in our homes and places of worship.”

During the assembly at Oyster Bay-East Norwich High School students Sophie Mejia and Stephanie Vojvodich played Taps and the chorus performed “We are the World,” which they had sung so beautifully at a recent school concert.

The staff supervised the students closely, Seinfeld said, both inside and outside the building. And parents, the community and press were not permitted to observe or join in the walkout.

“The majority of the feedback we have received from families and community members has been very positive as they appreciate that we honored student wishes and embraced student voice,” Seinfeld said, “while keeping all students safe. They also understood that we stressed that it was in the best interest of our students and staff to participate together as a school community without any visitors or families.”

The event transpired without incident. “While we are always impressed by our students, today our high school administration and I are especially proud of our students,” Seinfeld said, “for the thoughtfulness and respect they demonstrated in planning and attending this meaningful event to honor the 17 lives lost in Parkland.”