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Standing for their rights

A walkout, part of the nationally organized Stand For The Second, is in reaction to other recent school walkouts in favor of various gun control proposals

By Hans Madsen 4 min read

Some St. Edmond High School students walked out of their last period class Wednesday to hold a small rally in support of Second Amendment rights.

The walkout, part of the nationally organized Stand For The Second, is in reaction to other recent school walkouts in favor of various gun control proposals.

The Stand For The Second students are against gun control and in favor of the preservation of gun rights.

About 10 students took part. They held their rally along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive behind the Fort Dodge Senior High School.

Carter Croonquist, 15, organized the event.

"There's so many people that are trying to take away our rights," he said. "I just don't agree with that."

He understands that many students who had expressed their support for gun control at previous walkout protests feel that they don't have a voice in the political system.

"Students want to be heard," he said. "Gun control is not the answer. We need to take a look at mental health more."

While opposed to further gun restrictions, Croonquist is not 100 percent in favor of letting school staff be armed -- one proposal that's been suggested during the debate.

"If teachers want to be armed," he said. "That's great but it's too easy for students to overpower them. It's well intended, though."

Croonquist feels safe in his school.

"I do," he said.

The students planned the walkout to cause the least disruption, he said. They timed the event for the last period of the day called Gael Pride which is essentially a study hall.

As cars drove by many motorists honked their horns -- a few expressed their opinion by extending their middle finger at the group of students holding signs and flags.

Croonquist said that among his peers in school, most students have formed an opinion, one way or the other.

"I feel in a lot of cases they are set in stone," he said, referring to students who favor gun control. "We're pretty set in stone, too."

Katrina O'Brein, of Fort Dodge, stopped to take a picture of the students with her phone.

"I'm proud of these guys," she said. "They're standing up for what's right."

She believes the local schools are safe.

"I think they're doing everything they can," she said. "I think we need to change society to make society safer."

Ben Anderson, 15, said while he doesn't support the message of the previous gun control protests, he supports those students' efforts to communicate their views.

"I think it was great," he said. "Many kids are not politically active enough. We're just doing the same thing on the other side. It's what we believe"

Breck Stanek, 15, held a large sign pointing out that most mass shootings occur in areas where law abiding civilians are not allowed to carry guns.

He feels safe in school too.

"Yes I do," he said.

While he disagrees, he supports the rights of those who oppose his views to speak up.

"If you do your research, then protest, that's your right," he said.

He said he thinks a lot of those who were participating in the gun control walkouts have little understanding of current firearms laws, gun mechanics and other aspects of the issue. In addition, he shared the sentiment that many of them participate because it's currently popular.

"A lot of them don't know anything about the issue," he said.

Stand For The Second was founded by Will Riley, a high school senior from Carlsbad, New Mexico. Walkouts were also scheduled for many other schools throughout the U.S.

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