Students to Senator Johnson: Stand up for students, not the NRA

MILWAUKEE, WI Students from high schools across southeastern Wisconsin converged on U.S. Senator Ron Johnson’s Milwaukee office today in protest of the senator’s lack of support for meaningful gun control measures that support student safety. The protest, coordinated by a new statewide student organization called the Student Action Coalition, was held on the 19-year anniversary of the Columbine High School Shooting.

“Today, more than 100 students from across south-eastern Wisconsin came together in Milwaukee to send a clear message to Senator Johnson that we want the kind of thoughtful and reasonable gun control measures that will help keep our schools and our communities safe,” said Layne Donovan, president of the Student Action Coalition. “To date, Senator Johnson has put his support for the NRA ahead of the needs of Wisconsin who are calling for an end of the cycle of gun violence in our schools.”

While in office, Senator Johnson has voted against legislation that would protect students such as the Feinstein Amendment which aimed to ban people on the terrorist list from buying guns, as well as legislation that would ban high capacity firearms magazines.

The Student Action Coalition, a group that is by students for students supports requirements for a waiting periods for the purchase of all firearms; universal background checks for all guns, including those by private sellers; and the banning of high-capacity firearm magazines.

In addition, the students called on Senator Johnson to refuse any campaign contributions from the NRA and to return those donations made by the NRA and its political action committee in the past.

“As students, we have come together around our shared values to ensure that our voices are heard,” said Donovan. “Today was just the first such event that Student Action Coalition intend to make. While we will be respectful and thoughtful, we will also be relentless.”

About the Student Action Coalition: The Student Action Coalition is a coalition of students from across the state of Wisconsin who are dedicated to advocating for a safer learning environment for students in our state and around the country. We have grown up in a world where school shootings feel normal. It’s time to change that. If our elected officials won’t stand up for us, we will stand up for ourselves.

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