Are schools becoming more violent ?

 Are Schools Becoming More Violent?

 

On the one hand, there have been 24 incidents of violence involving a weapon in public schools as of the beginning of December resulting in 40 deaths or injuries.   These data roughly parallel the number of incidents in 2018 and 2019.   They also seem to be reflective of national homicide rates in the general community for 2020, at a time when other types of crimes are going down.  Americans also are buying more guns and guns enable people to kill people.  More people are carrying weapons and using them when they get angry.

The global pandemic has exacerbated the risk factors for violence in general.  Loneliness, isolation, and economic instability all contribute to violence.

There are two arguments on how to manage school violence.   One is to institute more counseling.  Making sure that kids connect with at least one faculty member in a meaningful way so the child feels “seen” by staff.  Take police out of school buildings.

The other argument is to add fences, metal detectors, arm teachers and bring in more school security officers.

In the most recent tragedy, there was a school resource officer (SRO) in the building.  He just didn’t happen to be in the part of the building where the shooter was.   Everyone seems to be in agreement that first responders responded quickly and took control.  Still four people are dead and multiple others are wounded.  The student shooter was aided and abetted by his parents and school personnel who didn’t take needed action.

The two polar points of how to address this situation are not mutually exclusive.  Children need to feel seen in a school.  There needs to be at least one person in every child’s school life who really knows and cares about the child.

However, that does not mean school rules are not enforced.  Little misbehaviors and other warning signs need to address promptly and not ignored because they won’t go away.  Instead, they will go to big problems.

The police refer to “hygiene” crimes like public urination, breaking a window, or being drunk on the street.  Some jurisdictions do not want to “give someone a criminal record” for these minor offenses.  In a school, a student might bully other students or “accidently” bump into someone.  A student might use profanity in class.   Or perhaps makes comments or drawings depicting violence.   When these instances happen, they should NOT be ignored.  If they are ignored, they will rapidly grow from little nuisances to seriously large problems.  Teachers and administrators are tired.  So are parents.  Kids probably are too.  But if the people in charge do not find the energy to put out the brush fires, don’t be surprised when there is a forest fire and people are dead.