FCCPS parent here.

I believe the school board approved a policy that permits excused absences for protests so if you have an issue I'd take it up with the school board.

And parents had to send notice that they were ok with their child participating for it to be an excused absence.

Have a spine, parents. If you don't want your kid to participate and miss school then don't let them. I am a big proponent of additional gun control and I would not have assumed kids in school have gun nut parents. I'd assume their parents didn't want them skipping school that day!

My kid did participate but she went to the protest, woke up on time and send letters to elected officials on the issue. I told her if she cared enough to participate in the school strike she could do those things too.

I didn't see the email from administration as an endorsement of the walkout - I saw it as a reminder that the school board had approved this policy and what parents needed to do (send in a note approving their kid's participation) to make it an excused absence.

Anonymous wrote:This is completely out of line. Also in favor of gun control. Not in favor of school sponsored/encouraged protest. It’s a slippery slope for schools (we encourage you to walk out for this protest but not this one. Who gets to decide which causes merit a protest?). It encourages conformity because of the peer pressure to participate. Teaches kids the wrong lessons about the hard work of successful advocacy. When kids see that nothing comes from this other, they get disillusioned and jaded. Meaningfully engage them in how to effect change. Not bullsh*t school walkouts. Absolutely nothing will come from FCCPS kids walking out of classes with their teachers, except a missed day of classes and turning in work before break. This serves adults and not kids.

Teachers did not walk out or leave. I also do not agree how this was handled but think that is important to note. Teachers did not strike or leave because of this.

This is completely out of line. Also in favor of gun control. Not in favor of school sponsored/encouraged protest. It’s a slippery slope for schools (we encourage you to walk out for this protest but not this one. Who gets to decide which causes merit a protest?). It encourages conformity because of the peer pressure to participate. Teaches kids the wrong lessons about the hard work of successful advocacy. When kids see that nothing comes from this other, they get disillusioned and jaded. Meaningfully engage them in how to effect change. Not bullsh*t school walkouts. Absolutely nothing will come from FCCPS kids walking out of classes with their teachers, except a missed day of classes and turning in work before break. This serves adults and not kids.

I also have a student at MEH who was super mad that I made him go to school, but he had end-of-quarter assessments and a lot of work to finish up on Friday. I think there was a good group of high school students and a handful of middle school students who took it seriously and actually tried to stage a protest, but most kids were at home enjoying an extra day of spring break. Performative protesting at its worst, and I'm very VERY in favor of gun control and fully support the cause but not the way it was handled in FCCPS.

Most students were out at Meridian for the entire day. From the ones that were there, it seems to be a mix of reasons why kids didn’t come. Some attended the strike but others stayed home. They were calling it a strike, not a walk out.

https://www.fcnp.com/2023/03/31/meridian-high-school-students-organize-walkout-in-response-to-gun-violence-amid-latest-school-shooting/

My kids went to MEH and Meridian today. Several assessments they didn’t want to have to handle after break.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more I think about this message the more annoyed I get. It’s not a student protest. It’s an administration led skip day. My child is behind academically and really could use another day in school to get end of quarter assignments done. But instead they are going to stay home alone. They fear being the only one in school and I fear getting branded a right wing gun nut.

I’ll take “Made-up Posts” for $200.

I don’t understand what you are saying. Do you think the administration didn’t really send out the email???? Do you think parents aren’t actually annoyed about it??? Do you think no kids are behind??? Do you think there isn’t social pressure to participate??

No, I think the post being replied to is made up. I don’t think this person has a child in the first place, certainly not one scared of being the only one in school.


Trolls are pretty easy to spot.

Oh you are completely wrong. I have a middle schooler who was furious I made him go to school today and was very concerned he would be the only one there. That seems like a pretty normal middle school reaction honestly. I have no idea why you think it is made up. It’s definitely not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more I think about this message the more annoyed I get. It’s not a student protest. It’s an administration led skip day. My child is behind academically and really could use another day in school to get end of quarter assignments done. But instead they are going to stay home alone. They fear being the only one in school and I fear getting branded a right wing gun nut.

I’ll take “Made-up Posts” for $200.

I don’t understand what you are saying. Do you think the administration didn’t really send out the email???? Do you think parents aren’t actually annoyed about it??? Do you think no kids are behind??? Do you think there isn’t social pressure to participate??

No, I think the post being replied to is made up. I don’t think this person has a child in the first place, certainly not one scared of being the only one in school.


Trolls are pretty easy to spot.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The more I think about this message the more annoyed I get. It’s not a student protest. It’s an administration led skip day. My child is behind academically and really could use another day in school to get end of quarter assignments done. But instead they are going to stay home alone. They fear being the only one in school and I fear getting branded a right wing gun nut.

I’ll take “Made-up Posts” for $200.

I don’t understand what you are saying. Do you think the administration didn’t really send out the email???? Do you think parents aren’t actually annoyed about it??? Do you think no kids are behind??? Do you think there isn’t social pressure to participate??

Anonymous wrote:The more I think about this message the more annoyed I get. It’s not a student protest. It’s an administration led skip day. My child is behind academically and really could use another day in school to get end of quarter assignments done. But instead they are going to stay home alone. They fear being the only one in school and I fear getting branded a right wing gun nut.

I’ll take “Made-up Posts” for $200.

I’m annoyed too. FCCPS specifically says they do not organize these and that they are student led. It’s mixed messages because they send out notices on how students can excuse their absence and I am sure they will be tweeting photos, like past student led walkouts. It seems like they are encouraging this even though they say they do not.

I do not support my kids participating in any activism during the school day. I encourage them to support causes they believe in but not during work or school hours.

The more I think about this message the more annoyed I get. It’s not a student protest. It’s an administration led skip day. My child is behind academically and really could use another day in school to get end of quarter assignments done. But instead they are going to stay home alone. They fear being the only one in school and I fear getting branded a right wing gun nut.

Anonymous wrote:I got an email from FCCPS promoting a school strike tomorrow b/c of gun violence. (I say promoting in that it went to students, told students they could get an excused absence to participate in the strike, and all they had to do was email the attendance line and copy their parents.) I'm curious if other area schools are also promoting this school strike, or if this is just coming from FCCPS.
FWIW- I am 100% for gun control and think the 2nd amendment should be repealed/ narrowly interpreted. But at least my kid just got the message that they get to 'stay home' with a vary vague if any grasp of why hardly the mark of a good protest.

Wow, that seems out of line! If students aren't allowed to excuse their own absences in other cases (illness, doctor appointments, etc.) it shouldn't be allowed to "strike." What if the parent objects to their student missing class to "strike?"

No, my kid's high school in PWC has not sent anything like this to us.

how convenient, the last day before spring break

I got an email from FCCPS promoting a school strike tomorrow b/c of gun violence. (I say promoting in that it went to students, told students they could get an excused absence to participate in the strike, and all they had to do was email the attendance line and copy their parents.) I'm curious if other area schools are also promoting this school strike, or if this is just coming from FCCPS.
FWIW- I am 100% for gun control and think the 2nd amendment should be repealed/ narrowly interpreted. But at least my kid just got the message that they get to 'stay home' with a vary vague if any grasp of why hardly the mark of a good protest.