Stoneman Douglas marks first day of classes with 17 seconds of silence

Students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School began their first day of class since the school shooting there with 17 seconds of silence — one for every victim killed on Feb. 14. 

The Parkland, Fla., school reopened on Wednesday after a gunman, allegedly a former student, stormed campus, killing 17 students and teachers. 

{mosads}The facility on Wednesday was surrounded by a massive police force, with officers standing shoulder to shoulder as students walked inside. 

A local police union asked all off-duty law enforcement officers to come as a show of support, ABC News reported. 

Flowers and memorials covered the exteriors. 

The door I used to walk through every day now covered in a memorial. Welcome back, eagles. pic.twitter.com/ylJhp0gaAk

— Alex Wind (@al3xw1nd) February 28, 2018

Inside, students were greeted by grief counselors and comfort dogs, as well as solemn reminders of the tragedy, such as flowers on the empty desks once held by victims. 

My first period class with our borrowed therapy dog, Woody. pic.twitter.com/NcRkd2E9CA

— Sarah Lerner, CJE #NeverAgain (@mrs_lerner) February 28, 2018

The half-day was meant to focus on “emotional readiness and comfort, not curriculum,” Principal Ty Thompson tweeted. 

Looking forward to tomorrow Eagles! Remember our focus is on emotional readiness and comfort not curriculum: so there is no need for backpacks. Come ready to start the healing process and #RECLAIMTHENEST

— Principal Thompson (@PrincipalMSD) February 27, 2018

Students took to social media to express concern and anxiety about returning to school for the first time since the shooting on Valentine’s Day. 

“I’m scared anytime I leave my house, but I know we have to do this for them,” student Ashley Paseltiner wrote.  

Today we go back to school for them. Today we have to be strong for them. I’m scared any time I leave my house, but I know we have to do this for them. We won’t let him take our school. We won’t let them be gone in vain. This is all for them.

— Ashley #shineMSD (@ashleydrama5) February 28, 2018

But many said they were glad to be back. 

Douglas is amazing. It’s hard to think about the 17 empty seats that will never truly be filled again, but Stoneman Douglas filled them with love today.

Everywhere. Love.

— Cameron Kasky (@cameron_kasky) February 28, 2018

Survivors have rallied to become outspoken advocates for gun control in the wake of the massacre, creating the #NeverAgain movement that will lead a national March For Our Lives march in Washington, D.C., next month. They have appeared in a CNN town hall, organized marches to the state capitol in Tallahassee and are taking on the National Rifle Association (NRA) over its pro-gun policies. 

One student, Emma Gonzalez, now has more Twitter followers that the NRA or its spokeswoman, Dana Loesch.