Students speak up; do we listen?

I wasn't able to be part of the #MarchforOurLives today, as I had class. But I'm noticing something in the (adult) posting about the events across the country.

Young people's voices are being respected and magnified.

Listen, for example, to Naomi Wadler, age 11, speak of the too-often ignored gun deaths of black girls and women:


Or Ryan Deitsch on how we need to arm teachers and students:

"We need to arm our teachers with pencils, pens, paper, and the money they need." -@Ryan_Deitsch #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/EzRr0c578g

— March For Our Lives (@AMarch4OurLives) March 24, 2018

Or read the eloquent students quoted more locally here in Worcester:

"I'm here to protest the gun violence because I think it is ridiculous that students are afraid of going to school, afraid that something is going to happen to them and just have meltdowns, breakdowns over just being afraid to walk out the door and go to school," Reese Lane said, adding it was important for him to attend a local rally.
 "Boston is a big place, but just one big place won't do it, we need multiple people to come together to end gun violence for good," he said.

It is amazing that millions of adults across the country gathered today to listen to children and young adults speak clearly and strongly against gun violence and for gun control.

How often do we listen?
Did you note, in the above MassLive article, its framing? The reporter went to an adult midway through and closed with the adult in the article. And that is part of what makes today unusual; we let the students lead. We let them open, we let them close, we didn't feel the need to put training wheels or bumpers or guidance around these protests.

Why was this only today?
Do we think that Naomi lacks this sort of insight around disparitiees in discipline policies? She is eleven, but that has been plenty of time for her to have a keen eye on inequities and racism. I imagine she would have some things to say about policies around discipline in a host of areas.

Do we think that Ryan lacks this sort of insight around budgets in general? Allocation of resources sounds like something he may have some thoughts about.

Do we think that Reece lacks this sort of insight around how is school functions and what school climate is like? It sounds as though he has given that some thought.

How often do we ask students big questions about the major place they spend their time? How often do we ask them how policies that are about THEM actually impact them? Do we ask if they work or not? What the consequences are? How often do we ask any students about budgeting? Do we ask what it's like to have a class of thirty in algebra? To not have books? To be told the class you'd been planning for years to sign up for is gone? Or the program or team you'd spent years practicing for won't be funded next year?

And how often, when they do tell us, do we take them seriously? When they tell us they don't get enough sleep, when they tell us mobile devices are a learning tool, when they tell us that, yes, their walkout is about guns, do we listen?
Or do we pat them on the head and tell them the grown-ups will make the decisions for them?

There are a lot of adults today who listened to children and young adults today and cheered.
There are a lot of adults tonight and this weekend who will share and magnify those voices on social media.

Was that just a good feeling on a sunny Saturday?
Or will you do the same when they have something to tell you about how the place they spend most of their time runs?