CHICAGO — Students at William Howard Taft High School on the city’s Northwest Side walked out Thursday morning in protest over gun safety concerns. 

Parents and guardians were notified on Monday about a potential threat made against the school by a student. While authorities deemed the threat ‘non-credible,’ an update followed on Wednesday upon news that students intended to walk out.

CPS responded to WGN News’ request for comment, stating that the school district takes gun safety seriously and doesn’t consider the matter a safety threat. 

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) takes the safety and security of our students and staff seriously and we are committed to working with students, as well as their families, educators, and school leaders, to ensure a safe and secure learning environment. 

CPS prioritizes the safety and well-being of our students and we take seriously our responsibility to ensure all employees act in the best interest of our students. As a District, we take all allegations seriously and our team follows District policies and procedures as we respond to safety and employee misconduct issues. 

We value the perspectives of our students and will continue to engage with them to ensure that we understand their concerns.”

Statement from Chicago Public Schools

Officials with Taft say they will reinforce the screening of students before they enter the school and will listen to students about their concerns.