Heritage High students plan to join national walkout Friday

A group of students at Heritage High School plan to walk out of class and hold a peaceful demonstration Friday morning in support of a national movement across the nation seeking gun control, according to one of the organizers.

Heritage senior Jordan De La Fuente told Menifee 24/7 the walkout will be similar in nature to the events of March 14, when a group of students left class for several minutes to display signs and demonstrate for gun reform. That walkout, which also took place at Paloma Valley High School, came shortly after 17 students at Parkland High School in Florida were killed by a shooter on campus.

This Friday's event comes on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine tragedy, in which two students at the Colorado school shot to death 13 people and wounded more than 20 others.

"A lot of us were upset with the way our elected officials disregarded our opposition to things like this in the past," De La Fuente said. "We feel we should be the ones who are listened to. We're not going to tolerate this anymore."

In the March 14 walkout, students stayed out of class for 17 minutes to honor each of the Parkland victims. This walkout will be somewhat longer, De La Fuente said.

"It will start at 10 a.m., when we've just started second period," he said. "We will stay out the rest of second period, plus the 10-minute break afterward, and return to class for third period (at 10:44 a.m.)."

De La Fuente said he had no estimate of how many students would participate but that the event has been promoted and discussed on social media.

"In our conversations with the principal, he said they would provide extra security," De La Fuente said. "He said teachers who have a prep period would be allowed to join us, but not teachers who are teaching class at the time."

Candace Reines, deputy superintendent of the Perris Union High School District, said district officials were aware of the planned walkout at Heritage. She said Paloma Valley High School principal Jennifer Thomasian did not know of such plans at her campus but that she was aware a walkout could occur. Such a walkout at Paloma March 14 was peaceful.

"The District stance is still the same," Reines said. "While we don't encourage students to walk out, should they decide to do so, they will be directed to remain on campus in a designated area where we can ensure their safety."