Gallery • 22 Photos

Carter Leeds

An electric voice struck the front of Grandview’s campus on September 5th. Channeled through a megaphone, the message of Team Enough was made clear to our student body, administration, and most importantly, our politicians: Students will not accept another generation lost to gun violence.

Although the walkout was filled with speeches and signs, Team Enough’s core sentiment was crystal clear: lawmakers need to see that students care about gun violence. The protest that occurred on September 5th was part of a national movement by Students Demand Action (SDA), an organization urging lawmakers to address gun violence in schools.

“Team Enough’s goal with this walkout is mainly to grab attention. Our lawmakers need to see that students care enough to be missing class to show our point.” Savannah Parker said,  an SDA executive who also serves as co-vice president of Grandview’s Team Enough. “Students care enough about their own safety that they’re willing to sacrifice an hour of education to grab those lawmakers’ attention.”

Team Enough gained significant influence throughout not only Grandview but also throughout the nation. Their next challenge is deciding how to direct the growing awareness over gun-control issues into real change. Their answer came from Colorado Red Flag Laws. 

“[The laws are] a way of reporting if somebody is being suicidal, aggressive, or struggling with their mental health- you can call in and authorities will take their firearms away, I think that that’s one of my favorite things that Colorado does and that I would envision for everywhere in an ideal world,” Parker said.

However, passing gun control legislation is a lengthy process. Republicans currently hold the Presidency, the Supreme Court, and majorities in both the House and Senate. Significant changes are unlikely to happen anytime soon. Until then, Team Enough plans to focus on local change, targeted within Grandview. 

“We want to have more open conversations. I think that Team Enough could definitely work more with some community outreach and getting counseling and mental health services,” Parker stated. “Lots of people here are survivors of gun violence [and]  we see the waves of that.”