Algonquin parents march in place of kids

A few minutes before 10 a.m. Wednesday, several Community Unit District 300 parents gathered at Randall Road and Harnish Drive holding signs in support of stricter gun control.

Students were allowed to participate in protests indoors Wednesday, but administrators discouraged them from walking out of the buildings because of safety concerns. So district parents stepped up to show the community where they stand, Algonquin resident Lillian Colon said.

"We thought we could give some visibility to the message as parents," said Colon, who has children in third and seventh grades. "We're here for our kids."

In addition to encouraging lawmakers to enact tighter gun measures, parents called on the district to implement greater preventive measures to keep their kids safe. Many plan to participate with their children in other national protests, including one March 24.

"Kids should just be concerned with learning, not dodging a bullet," said Anna Abreu, a Carpentersville mom of three.

- Lauren Rohr