MIAMI _ Some students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School walked out of school Wednesday to protest insufficient mental health resources on campus following two Parkland shooting survivors' suicides last month.
The Miami Herald's news partner CBS 4 Miami reports that the walkout happened around 11 a.m. and took about 15 minutes as Broward County Sheriff's Office deputies blocked traffic. At least one student complained that the resources provided at the school are not enough for students needing help.
Within one week, a Parkland sophomore and the best friend of a Stoneman Douglas school shooting victim took their lives, new blows to a community still suffering from the shooting that left 17 dead on Valentine's Day last year.
Stoneman Douglas sophomore and gun control activist Lauren Hogg tweeted about her dismay Wednesday morning.
"I'm just gonna put this out there- Giving kids bananas and asking them not to kill themselves without actually talking about mental health is NOT the mental health support we need at school," she wrote.
Hogg subsequently tweeted a photo of mandarin oranges, bananas and granola bars in front of a banner that read "Be Passionate Be Strong Remember You Are Loved Be Proud To Be An Eagle."
CBS 4 Miami also reported that Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie held a meeting at 1 p.m. updating the community on available mental health resources and support, including the 211 helpline and Eagles' Haven Wellness Center. The new center created for the Stoneman Douglas community opened ahead of schedule to accommodate the community after the suicides, according to Miami Herald radio news partner WLRN.
