Casey Seiler reports at Capitol Confidential that Gov. Andrew Cuomo wrote to state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia March 15 asking her to use her to stop school administrators from punishing students who staged walkouts March 14 in protest of gun violence. Many schools around the WGXC listening area co-opted student protests, neutering the talk of controlling guns, and just sticking to tributes to the victims. But some schools in New York punished students for taking part in the National School Walkout, a 17-minute protest one month after 17 students and teachers were killed at a Florida school. “In the last 24 hours, there have been several reports of New York State schools disciplining students and faculty for participating in yesterday’s historic events to stop gun violence,” said Cuomo. Elia responded with a letter of her own. “I have discussed with school district superintendents, board members, teachers and others the importance of learning from this tragedy by engaging our students in an important civics lesson on the power of their own voices,” she wrote. Elia did not mention do anything to stop any disciplinary actions, or even if she has the power to do so. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential.