Maya Morales, 15, holds a sign during a walkout and demonstration for gun control at Anderson High School in Austin, Texas, on Friday Feb. 23, 2018. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
BYU has joined a growing list of universities stating that a high schooler’s participation in gun violence protests will not affect the student’s admission into the university.
High school protests against gun violence are growing around the country. Many are planned for March 14, one month after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida.
These protests range from marches to walk-outs to skipping school entirely. In Ogden, Utah high school students at Ben Lomond High School are standing silently for three minutes each week to symbolically take a stand against violence.
Many of these protests are supported by their school districts, but others have seen push-backs. One Texas school district’s superintendent has threatened students with suspensions if they participate in protests.
Suspensions can be serious business for students applying for colleges because many applications include a question asking whether a student has ever been suspended. Now, however, many schools are saying that doesn’t matter.
BYU Admissions has stated that its application does not inquire into suspension records, meaning that a prospective student has the freedom to protest without fear of repercussions.