Though last week’s planned national student walkouts generated controversy and concern across some school districts, all was well in Farmingdale, as students and faculty found a way to acknowledge the significance of the day without posing significant disruptions to their school routine. On Wednesday, March 14, at 10 a.m., Farmingdale High School observed a moment of silence for the victims of last month’s Parkland, FL, school shooting, during which the names of all 17 victims were read. Afterwards, students who wished to participate were given the opportunity to move to a designated, supervised area on the football field, where they could spend 17 minutes expressing their sentiments regarding the tragic events in Parkland.
In a letter to Farmingdale High School’s students, parents and faculty, Principal Dr. Samuel M. Thompson explained that the supervised tribute was devised with an eye towards student safety, with the goal of granting students a controlled outlet to express their thoughts. The letter also stated that, for the national protests scheduled for Friday, April 20, students will be given time to partake in a letter writing campaign, which will allow them to address issues of their choice and ultimately deliver their letters to a designated location in the high school.
“Our greatest concern in all this is the ability to supervise students who decide to walkout,” Thompson said in his letter. “These two options provide that our resources are focused in the right way and the event does not disrupt the educational program.”
