Blog 2- School Violence
Prevention and Putting an End to School Violence
Violence in schools is a huge issue worrying people all over the country and causing a lot of heavy discussions and debates. There are some that believe that by banning assault style weapons this can be prevented, there are others that say that by banning these weapons their second amendment right is being infringed upon. I could go on and on about the differing perspectives of American citizens. As much as there is a lot of differing opinions about assault weapons and violence in schools I think that there is one point that almost everybody could agree with. There needs to be an end to school violence around our country, students should feel safe and not scared for their lives when they are on school grounds. But, here we are in 2023 with no end in sight to this terrifying and deadly issue that affects our country.
I found while reading and viewing this weeks module that so many things were surprising to me. I found while watching the film” Bowling for Columbine”, the fact that basically anyone could walk into a bank (FDIC), sign up for an account and receive a gun with the opening of the account. This was very bizarre to watch right before my eyes. I would have never thought that people could purchase a deadly firearm so easily. But, as I think about so many of the different school shootings that have occurred across the country, it is sometimes said that the shooter usually obtains a gun easily from places like this. So in reality, why should I be confused and surprised that someone could so easily and can still easily get a hold of a firearm. Why are so many people including myself surprised and confused when we see another shooting has occurred in a school? These were the questions I was asking myself as I watched a gun be purchased so simply. In the CDC’s article about preventing school violence it states, ”Preventing school violence requires addressing the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence”(CDC, 2021). When I read this in the article I immediately thought,” Well if we need to address the factors that put people at risk of school violence, then why are people able to access guns so easily?” I think that one of the issues that we have as a country today that is affecting the prevention and ending of school shootings is that a lot of people only focus on themselves. Instead of looking at the bigger picture that children, innocent children are being murdered in schools across the country because of people who should not have guns, have guns. Instead of thinking of that, they focus on themselves, they do not want to go through a more tedious process of purchasing a gun and what not. And I am not saying that guns should be ban all together because I understand that for hobbies such as hunting guns are needed, but there should be a better way for people to obtain guns. This is just one of many different things that can be done so that myself and others around the U.S. are not surprised when they turn on the T.V. and there is a report of school violence.
As a future educator, I found in the article by Pew Research Center very informational. It gave me the perspective of so many different types of people and how they felt regarding school violence. It is important to know how students and parents are feeling about this important matter in order to try and bring them more peace and comfort about going to school /sending their kids to school.
In the Pew Research Center I found it not that surprising that, “...a much smaller share of teens (39%) say that allowing teachers to carry guns in schools would be very or somewhat effective at preventing school shootings”( Pew Research Center, 2018). I understand how these students would think that having a teacher carry a gun would be effective. But, I do not agree with this. As a future educator, I think that there are other more effective ways to prevent school violence and teachers having a gun on them is not going to prevent it. I personally am not someone who would want to have a gun on my body during the school day when I am trying to teach students. I would be very worried everyday of something bad happening with the gun, it accidentally going off, etc. I could understand more if a security guard were to carry a gun since it is their job to “secure” the school. But still, I think it would be odd for staff to have guns on school campus. In Education Week it was stated that, School-based police have been marginally successful in preventing some violence on the campuses they patrol, but their presence doesn’t prevent school shootings”(Education Week, 2023). I think that it is great that having firearms on school security/police can prevent some violence. But, I still would feel odd knowing that there are guns in the school that could be shot at any moment. That is a personal feeling so I understand that not everyone feels that way. In my own school district it has been discussed between the school board and public if school security guards should carry around guns and it was ultimately voted to not have this. I think that for children knowing that there are guns around would make them more nervous about what could happen to them while in school.
School violence is an issue that needs to be discussed and talked about in order for the end or at least reduction of these terrible events happening. It is sad that my future students will have to go to school worrying everyday about the possible things that could happen to them. It is one of my goals as a teacher to make them feel as safe and comfortable in my classroom so that they do not worry or think about the possibilities of school violence.
Graf, N. (2018, April). A majority of U.S. teens fear a shooting could happen at their school, and most parents share their concern. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/18/a-majority-of-u-s-teens-fear-a-shooting-could-happen-at-their-school-and-most-parents-share-their-concern/
Moore, M. (Producer & Director) (2002). Bowling for Columbine [Film]. United States: Dog Eat Dog Productions/ YouTube https://watchdocumentaries.com/bowling-for-columbine/
Peetz, C. (2023, July 7). School Police Prevent Some Violence, But Not Shootings, Research Finds. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/school-police-prevent-some-violence-but-not-shootings-research-finds/2023/07.
Preventing school violence. (2019). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/schoolviolence/fastfact.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fviolenceprevention%2Fyouthviolence%2Fschoolviolence%2Findex.html
Kailey, I 100% agree with you that teachers should not have to carry guns on them while in the classroom. Teachers have enough on their plates already. I do disagree with not having armed security guards at least standing outside of the schools. Nothing in this world is 100% safe so matter how many doors are locked at all times in a building, or how many lock down drills we practice (we do this in my district a lot) something could still go wrong. For me as an educator and a parent knowing there is at least one good guy out there that could stop a potentially dangerous person before the cops get there, I OK with that. In my district all the security guards are retired or on the job Police Officers same in my kids schools and I wish they all were allowed to carry because I would feel safer knowing that someone is there to protect them in case a situation arises. with that being said i don't believe it has to be someone outside carrying an AK47 but could definitely be a plain clothes officer with a canceled weapon. That way the kids wouldn't know or see it and they wouldn't have to be frightened. I also think as an educator you also need to have your own planes on what to do in case of a situation sometimes being a sitting duck in a classroom isn't the right choice. When we attend our S.A.V.E training in the beginning of each year we are always told that if we feel the need and it safe to do so get out of your classroom weather its through a window or a door leading to the outside. In my classroom we have a door that leads to the outside and we have a plan set up that would be executed in case of emergency. Sadly in this day and age these are the things we do have to prepare for.
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