In my three years that I’ve been at this school, I’ve witnessed only one walkout actually happen. While I really like that teens are speaking out about what they believe in, I can’t help but see that in the end, it becomes pretty pointless.

Try looking at the bigger picture in the shoes of an arrogant, self-centered politician. What are we to them? A bunch of school kids wasting government-funded school money by standing outside when we should be in class learning. That’s all it is. A waste of money.

It pains me to say this, no matter how true it is, but even though we’re the next generation of adults, we’re not treated like so completely out of ignorance. We’re just kids who shouldn’t care about politics or how the country is run. Yet, at the same time, we’re also both supposed to be active in our politics and not have a voice and listen to the adults.

Well, make up your minds. As I said before, we’re the next generation, and we’re old enough to have the right to our own opinions and be able to have the right to voice those opinions without being put down by adults purely because of our age.

“Everything that we want to say just goes unnoticed and unheard. We’re basically nothing to those in charge at this point,” said Lakewood High junior Jerry Winch.

I’d say that as teenagers, we’re stuck between the points of “you’re just kids, you can’t have an opinion” and “you’re young adults, so have some idea of what your generation is doing.” It’s completely unfair.

Maybe it’s my pessimism getting to me, but no matter what we do, our opinions don’t matter, and won’t until we’re the ones in charge of how the country is run.