Dear LREI Community,
A quick update (typed with cold hands) about LREI’s participation in today’s National School Walkout.
Fourth-eighth graders walked out onto Sixth Avenue, lining the east side of the street, displaying signs towards the traffic, many cars and trucks honking their horns in support as they drove by. So moving to see the students’ display of conviction and passion and participation, all organized by Elijah M, ’22. Ten minutes later many high school students arrived, swelling the students’ numbers to around 400. Loveday T., ’18, student body president, addressed the crowd, encouraging all to stay involved and to keep the pressure on our elected officials. MS walkout was organized by the Gun Control Now Social Justice Group — Eli H., Elijah M., and Sam S.
At this point the high school students, and a few eighth graders, headed to 
Washington Square Park. LREI rallied for a few minutes as a group, hearing from other members of the student body, before joining a large group of students from other high schools, with many more moving speeches offered by members of the crowd.
You should be very proud of LREI’s students for their thoughtful participation in a variety of conversations over the past few weeks and for today’s demonstration. Informed, respectful, passionate – it has been so very moving to watch this student movement take shape, both nationally and in our community, and to be a witness to the children feeling the power of their actions. As a fourth grader said, “We can do something and we are only 10!” The adults should be both ashamed and proud that we may well be saved by the children. In an amazing speech, Kalli J., ’18, the high school organizer, said,
“We are here today, as students, as teachers, as administrators and as Americans, to call BS on the idea that we cannot stop mass shootings in America. That the only answer to gun violence and its tragedy is thoughts and prayers. That the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. What the NRA doesn’t seem to know, what our legislators don’t seem to know, is that we don’t need a good guy with a gun. The good guys are right here.
I am so proud of LREI’s students today.