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Stoneman Douglas High School students arrive back home from Tallahassee

Posted at 7:26 AM, Feb 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-22 09:45:22-05

Students from Stoneman Douglas High School are back in South Florida after taking Tallahassee by storm on Wednesday.

FULL COVERAGE: Parkland School shooting

Not far from the school students arrived back home early Thursday morning. The trip was a sobering one since many realized there is much more work to be done.

The students said they spoke to Gov. Rick Scott, who mainly listened and told them that change will come.

Overall these survivors turned activists said they feel hopeful, but promised to be back in Tallahassee if change wasn't imminent.

"I think it's going to take a few more trips back to get what we want," one student said. "We're fighting not only for the victims, but kids all across America."

The first day of class is Tuesday, Feb. 27. Staff return Friday, Feb. 23.

ARMED DEPUTIES AT BROWARD CO. SCHOOLS

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said Wednesday his deputies will be armed with rifles on school grounds.

Israel announced he ordered all trained deputies to carry their rifles on campuses across the county.

When deputies are not holding their rifles Israel says they will be stored and locked in the deputy's patrol cars. 

This is one of the first moves the sheriff has implemented following the shooting.

At the time of the Feb. 14 shooting, there was an armed school resource deputy, but he never encountered the accused gunman, something the sheriff says will be looked at and scrutinized.

Israel is calling for more action, which includes designing schools to be safer, giving law enforcement more authority to Baker Act people who are threats to themselves or others.  Israel says he supports stricter gun laws.

"We do need to have some gun control reform. Eighteen-year-olds should never have a rifle. An 18-year-old kid, they're not adults yet. They're in high school," Israel said. "These kids should not have a rifle. Bump stocks should be illegal. They should be outlawed forever.  Automatic rifles should be outlawed forever and anybody who says different, I don't know about other people, but Emma and I, we're call B.S. on that."