BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kern residents gathered at California State Bakersfield to hold the city's first ever March for Our Lives rally on Saturday. Community members chanting as they walked to amplify their voices promoting safety in school. Among those were teachers and students alike.
"“I don’t want to pack heat while teaching. What I want is to teach without weary of being of shot," said Jessie Aguilar with the California Teachers Association
Aguilar spoke in front of the crowd that attended, expressing his concerns about the importance of ending gun violence.
“I didn’t become a teacher to watch my students become targets. We must do better," said Aguiler
Meanwhile, Alexandra Brown, a former CSUB student and one of the organizers of the march tells 23ABC that after hearing about the tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, she wanted to get the community of Kern County together to demand change.
“like so many of us, I was so heart broken when I heard the news about Uvale. I checked my phone and see that and it just rocked me. There are children who are supposed to be enjoying the last week of school, getting ready to go on summer vacation, and instead they had to face the horrific violence that took so many of their lives. This will stay with everyone else, all the survivors for the rest of their lives," said Brown
And even current CSUB students joined to call on action. One of them was CSUB student Samantha Medina saying that no child or student should have fear when going to school. She adds that after seeing the number of school shootings in the U.S, the bottom line is enough is enough.
“Due to school shootings, kids at an early age must start learning the idea of while school is supposed to be a safe place where they can play around, meet friends, and compete who gets the most reading points in class, they are also meant to be on their toes hoping they do not hear a gunshot," said Medina
