Thousands of Racine-area students gather to pledge against gun violence

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Today, on Oct. 19, more than 8,500 students at 10 Racine-area schools took a pledge against gun violence.

In fact, more than 67,000 students across the country were expected to take the pledge this year.

A guest speaker from Voices of Black Mothers United was at Starbuck Middle School earlier today.

They are a national group of mothers who have lost children to violence and who work closely with the community. A local rapper also spoke out and shared an anecdote of when he was threatened at gunpoint -- and how gun violence has become all too common.

"I'm like, I'm heartbroken that we're even having this, you know these talks with all of y'all about gun violence while y'all in middle school but it's real," he said.

And so, by taking this pledge, they are promising three things:

1.  I will never bring a gun to school

2.  I will never use a gun to settle a personal problem or dispute, and

3.  I will use my influence with my friends to keep them from using guns to settle disputes

This pledge has actually been around since 1996, but not many people are aware of its existence.