South View High Walkout
posted by Nicholas Robinson-Carter | March 27, 2023 | In OpinionAccording to a press release from WRAL on February 22, the students at South View High School gathered and marched towards the football field.
The walkout began thirty minutes after class began and it was to protest about sexual assaults that the protesters allege have been going on at the school for years.
The students held signs that said, “you’ll never have the comfort of our silence again,” “sexual assault should not be part of the high school experience,” “protect your students not your reputation,” and more. They also were shouting “No means no.”
“Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said they do not have any active investigations of sexual assaults involving anyone at the school,” WRAL reporter Gilbert Baez reported.
How did we get to this point?
Parents of the students at South View got a phone call, but were not notified about the whole details about the march, which seemed very suspicious.
A few hours later, the mother of a South View student posted on Facebook about the matter. She posted pictures that her daughter sent from the walkout along a hashtag “#NOMEANSNO.”
It seems to me that there is no solution to resolve the matter. The administration seems to just want to let the protest pass and get to at a later time. But these are the children we are talking about. They are here to get an education and not to worry about some person stalking or touching them because this is not okay.
If a child notices something is wrong at school, then it should be the authorities’ job to handle it and not create situations like this where there are rumors, but no investigation or response.
Furthermore, parents need to know what is going on at their child’s school at all times, especially when a walkout happens, and they don’t hear about what is taking place until it is over, then anything could happen.
As a student that graduated from Cumberland County Schools and attends an HBCU, I feel that safety comes first because, again, anything could happen and everyone should be aware of anything that can harm them.
Frankly, the school system is not doing their part in letting the question of sexual harassment or even assault lie without response.
All-in-all, in the event that such an action as sexual harassment or assault occurs in the school system, then the system really needs to make serious changes as to who they hire, and also who is attending public school for the school year. It just does not seem fair for a student, parent, or faculty member to go through this and be worried about who or what will step foot on campus.
Photo courtesy of Wally Gobetz
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