Calabasas High Students to Walkout in Honor of Shot Teacher

By City News Service

Nearly 1,500 Calabasas High School students are expected to walk out of class today and rally in the school's quad to take a stand against gun violence and honor teacher Brian Ludmer, who was wounded during the shooting at LAX.

Ludmer, 29, has been recovering at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center since Friday's shooting. According to a statement from the hospital, he will need at least one additional surgery for a "leg fractured by a bullet wound, along with extensive physical therapy."

Calabasas High students will stage their walkout at 12:19 p.m.

"The students want to show their support of Mr. Ludmer and take a stance against gun violence and this is how they decided to go about it," Principal C.J. Foss said.

Paige Plaskoff, president of the student body, said, "Our school is rallying together to stand up for an issue we all believe in. We are giving students an opportunity to support Mr. Ludmer and show him our love and support."

Ludmer has worked at the school for about a year and a half. An website has been set up to raise funds to help cover his medical expenses. Nearly $14,000 has already been raised.

"It is going to be a long road ... but I should be OK in the end," Ludmer wrote Saturday in a message posted on the fund's website -- www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-brian-get-back-on-his-feet/102787.

According to the website, Ludmer was visited in the hospital Monday by the two police officers who found him in the closet in which he hid after being shot during the shooting. School officials said that after being shot, Ludmer crawled into a closet and fashioned a tourniquet to slow the bleeding from his wounded leg.