Cobb schools: Walton walkout students to wear black during in-school suspension

More than 260 Walton High School students walked out of school last week as part of a nationwide protest against gun violence. Dozens of parents and community members stood outside the school with signs to show their support.  Vanessa McCray/AJC

More than 260 Walton High School students walked out of school last week as part of a nationwide protest against gun violence. Dozens of parents and community members stood outside the school with signs to show their support. Vanessa McCray/AJC

Walton High School students who walked out of class last week learned today that they will receive one day of in-school suspension,  and the disciplined students  plan to spend some of that time writing letters to elected representatives about gun control.

Students will serve the in-school suspension Tuesday, when they will all be grouped together in the theater. Walkout organizers are urging students to wear all-black to school that day. Earlier this week, other Cobb County high schools -- including Pope, Wheeler and North Cobb -- announced similar penalties for students who participated in the protest against gun violence.

More than 260 Walton students walked out of the school. The district took a strict stance compared to some other metro Atlanta school systems, which permitted the walkouts so long as they were peaceful. Cobb school officials have refused to answer questions about the discipline, but before the walkout issued a statement that said students who "disrupt the normal operation of a school may be subject to consequences in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct."

Walton parents received an email from the school informing them that their child "participated in an unauthorized walk out."

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