In the ongoing battle for safety and security within the halls of education, two students from Portland Public Schools have stepped forward in a campaign against gun violence, a concern ever so present in the day-to-day life of the youth today. As reported by KOIN, Naomi Basaca, an eighth grader, and her peer have amassed hundreds of signatures advocating for change; they recently presented their demands to the school district’s board. These demands emphasize the institution of trauma-informed practices during lockdowns, improvement of overall school safety, and enhanced mental health support.
Addressing the board, the students persistently outlined their concerns and the imperative need for action—the fear they live with is palpable, its narrative threading through their academic and social lives, "We’re always kind of in a constant state of fear for our safety," Basaca described the situation during her testimony, fearing a reality where lockdowns and threats are an immanent shadow over their education experience. Reflecting a broader anxiety among students, Basaca added, "I have seen my classmates cry and panic during active shooter drills and I just think it is so crazy how big of an issue gun violence is, and how unfazed adults are about it and I just wanted to do something about it," as detailed in an interview with KGW, highlighting a grave situation where students face psychological stresses that challenge their sense of normalcy and safety.
While acknowledging the need for increased safety measures, the students have pushed for disseminating information on secure weapons storage as well, aiming to curtail potential threats from arising. "Time and time again, school shootings bring anxiety to students of all ages, making it hard to concentrate in school," Basaca told the school board, as reported by OPB. The school board typically refrains from responding during meetings, but in this rare instance, several members, including Director Gary Hollands and Chair Eddie Wang, voiced tentative support, highlighting an openness to revisiting previous safety recommendations and concerning the normalization of lockdown drills.
Emphasizing that the fear stalking the corridors of Portland schools is more than just hypothetical, Director Herman Greene pointed out that Sanchez-Bautista’s list of recent gun-related incidents, which though alarming, is by no means exhaustive, recognizing a grim acknowledgment while adding, "We know that there are a lot more shootings that are happening within a one-mile radius of our schools that we don’t like to talk about,"—a proximity far too close for comfort and a rallying cry for those advocating change, as reported by OPB. In standing for what they believe, these two students have channeled the collective dread into a demand for a future where the tremors of potential violence do not compromise the sanctity of their place of learning, a sentiment that echoes across the nation.
