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‘I don’t think it’s going to be effective’ — Critics of national school walkout speak up

Posted at 4:40 PM, Mar 14, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-14 16:40:52-04

WEST MICHIGAN --Wednesday morning's national, student-led protests continue to be a hot topic of conversation in West Michigan, but not everyone supports the movements.

The conversation about the protest is still going on and it's almost as lively as the protest. Parents and community members are debating the effectiveness and ideology behind the national walkout.

"There’s people in here (saying) this is ridiculous,” says Curtis Aho, the father of a Timberland Charter Academy student.

“I was concerned. I looked into it and everything like that to find out why they were doing it and I’m not going to lie it kind of bothered me a little bit why they were doing it,” says Aho.

It was designed as a call for change following the deadly shooting in Parkland, Fla. But, Aho, a parent of a 9-year-old daughter, says he doesn’t think this is the way to stop the violence.

“I don’t think it’s going to be effective because none of the actual issues here were addressed,” Aho told FOX17.

Students are promising to continue this movement. But Aho says the solution may be in the very classrooms they’re leaving.

“I hope it does make a difference, I really do. The way it was executed, like I said, I think was completely wrong," Aho said. "But, I seriously hope it makes a difference and I see enough people online that feel the same way I do that they should be learning to treat each other better rather than worrying about politics right now. They’re kids, they shouldn’t be doing politics they should be worrying about their future.”

While it’s too early to tell how effective the walk out was, Wednesday afternoon The House passed the ‘Stop School Violence Act’, which would provide funds to train administrators and students to identify and report warning signs of violence.

The vote on new state gun laws, that would include the possibility of arming teachers, could be taken up before the legislature breaks for the summer in June.