Planned walk-outs and rallies have spread throughout schools across the nation in response to the deadly mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and UNC released a statement Tuesday that a student’s chance of admission to the University will not be harmed by their participation in peaceful protest.
The same day as UNC’s announcement, almost 40 middle-schoolers received one-day suspensions from Ingleside Middle School in Arizona after participating in a walk-out protesting gun violence. Needville Independent School District in Texas similarly warned students that walking out will result in a three-day suspension.
Though the University said in the statement they consider every suspension individually, participation in a protest will not affect a student's admission decision.
“The University welcomes peaceful, principled and purposeful action to improve the lives of others and society as a whole,” said Steve Farmer, vice provost for enrollment and undergraduate admissions, in the statement.
The promise aligns UNC with over 117 colleges and universities who have released similar statements, including Duke University and North Carolina State University.
“I’m very proud of our school for stepping up and saying, yeah, they won’t look at anyone differently for a belief they have,” UNC first-year Vahagn Giulumian said. “We’re protected by the Constitution — we have the right to assemble. As we are a public school, I feel like we should uphold that.”
Giulumian is currently working with a team of other students to plan a 17 minute walk-out on UNC’s campus with one minute to honor each victim of the shooting. Last week, UNC students gathered in front of Wilson Library to protest gun violence.
“Our generation — the high schoolers, the college students, even the middle schoolers — is going to be the one to make these changes,” Giulumian said. “The students who died due to something as vile in nature as this deserved better. It has to stop.”
Meanwhile, over 2,000 students walked out of Green Hope High School in Cary Wednesday. Although Wake County previously announced students will not be punished for participating in a peaceful walk-out, students were still aware of potential repercussions.