Parkland students in quest for gun-control are targeting town halls with lawmakers

Christal Hayes | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption 'March for Our Lives' rallies across the world More than 800 rallies took place around the world Saturday in solidarity with the 'March for Our Lives' rally in the United States.

In the aftermath of nationwide rallies calling for gun-control, student activists are peering forward to their next steps in keeping the debate alive.

While the marches attracted more than 1 million people across the U.S. on Saturday in hopes of tightening gun laws, the Parkland, Fla., teens at the head of the movement know the road will be long and change won't be easy.

A number of efforts and events are being planned, including another round of school walkouts and meetings with lawmakers, dubbed Town Hall For Our Lives.

Town halls are being planned in states across the U.S. while members of Congress are on a two-week break and back in their home districts. Students hope to apply more pressure for effective gun control. They hope to hold the meetings on April 7.

The students are working with the Town Hall Project, an organization that tracks events, town halls and office hours by members of Congress.

"They have this opportunity to carry the energy from the march right to the faces of members of congress," said Nathan Williams, managing director of the organization. "This will allow for an open dialogue between lawmakers and the people who they represent in their home districts."

Ryan Deitsch, one of the student survivors of the Valentine's Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, said the march was a big feat but members of the #NeverAgain movement haven't stopped working on what's next.

Deitsch said he and other members of the core group of Parkland students have been meeting and planning their next steps.

"That was the beginning of a movement," he said of the march. "It was a big moment but it wasn't the biggest moment because we're not done."

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Williams said a few hundred students have reached out to them about planning a town hall, adding if it's not possible to host an event, students can also attend one of the 104 town halls that have already been planned over the two-week Congressional break.

Students have also discussed a number of other plans. Consider:

Nationwide walkouts are scheduled on April 20 — which will mark the 19th year since the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado that left 13 dead. As of Wednesday, students at more than 1,800 schools signed up to participate. The walkout will start at 10 a.m., the same as the first round of walkouts on March 14 that marked a month since the Florida shooting.

Deitsch said they're hoping to start clubs in schools and communities to spur more political activism and so young people will be educated and more encouraged to vote. Some schools have expressed concerns about the idea, but he said they are pushing ahead with plans for students to gather and talk about their ideas.

He said he and other students have been invited to rallies across the U.S. over the coming weeks to keep momentum going.

Deitsch said Parkland students aren't planning to endorse any candidates.

"We support ideas, not people," he said. "We don't want to get caught up in partisanship. We just want to educate the youth."

The events and the town halls could be another step forward for students and gun-control advocates since many lawmakers are starting to campaign ahead of the November election, Williams said.

He said their organization has also created a guide for students hoping to plan events.

"I've been very amazed seeing a lot of high schoolers who have never taken any leadership roles before, step up to try and organize one of these meetings," Williams said.

If a town hall isn't organized in area, Parkland students are encouraging youths to organize their own and invite members of Congress to attend.

They're also suggesting advocates record town hall invitations and post them online. If your local elected leaders don't attend, students are suggesting to invite their political rival or just hold a rally without elected leaders.

One town hall planned in Iowa will be a chance for students to confront U.S. Rep. Steve King, who sparred with students on Twitter earlier this week.

Deitsch said he and his classmates in Parkland have been overwhelmed with support and knows there's "plenty more to do" in phase two of their charge for gun-control measures.

"We want to help others make a change," Deitsch said. "Everyone's voices matter and we want to help educate people and inspire them to speak up for what matters."

Contributing: Mackenzie Ryan, The Des Moines Register

Follow Christal Hayes on Twitter: Journo_Christal.