Are political groups targeting Warwick children?

I am writing regarding a flyer that has been circulating around social media. It is asking Warwick students to walk out of school on Friday April 20 from the hours of 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and come to the Fry Community Center for a “discussion on gun control in our town.” The flyer does not state who is sponsoring the event. The event page on Facebook states that is for students by students.
However, this is not the case. An email from the school district confirmed that an organization from outside of the district was planning the event. They also confirmed that this is not a school sponsored event and that students will be disciplined per district guidelines for unexcused absences.
It is also highly doubtful that students raised the money and rented space at the community center.
So that raises the obvious questions: Who is really behind this event? Why the secrecy? Why do they have to walk out of school to attend a discussion on gun control?
Whether or not you agree with the message being delivered at this meeting is not the point. Is anyone else seriously concerned that an unnamed organization is literally trying to get to our kids when we can’t be with them?
As parents, we drop our children off in the morning and we expect that they remain on school grounds until we pick them up again. Is it even legal for an organization to request that kids leave school and attend some meeting to further their political agenda?
I am all for kids getting together and discussing any issue they want but there is a time and a place for this. What about the safety of the kids? They are going to walk and drive from the high school to the community center. If something happens to any of these kids, I hope the organizers are prepared to be sued and maybe even charged criminally.
I know that my children will not be at this event but I am beyond furious nevertheless. Why can’t our children make up their own minds? Why are they being used as political pawns?
I know that the rebuttal will be that they aren’t being used as pawns but that is simply not true. It is quite easy to see what is really happening here.
If a parent hadn’t posted this flyer on social media, I would have never known about it. This organization is using a back door, sneaky method of reaching our kids for political gain.
If they weren’t, why would this meeting be held during school hours?
I know why. If it were held on a Saturday or a Sunday, the kids wouldn’t show up. Skipping school is what will give them an incentive to attend.
I want the parents of Warwick to know what is going on in our town who might not have social media. Please get involved and become informed. Don’t be fooled by some Facebook invite that says, “For students by students.”
Do some digging and the truth is not hard to uncover. Our children are being targeted.
Typically, I keep my mouth shut. Not anymore. Going after our kids is crossing the line. I am not going to stand for it and I hope you don’t either.
Tiffany Howell
Concerned parent and resident