School Is No Place For Violence

 

       

     School violence has been seen and still is seen throughout the US and it is absolutely sickening. The horrifying fear that students and teachers could not come home from school should not exist. As teachers our jobs are to keep the students safe. The motivation to make a change is huge but we still see the issue. More should be done in schools to prevent this type of violence or any type of violence. Issues of bullying and hate are things that need to be stopped. We see issues of hate against people based off their race, gender, sexuality and other things. We as future educators need to know to prioritize our students comfort and safety.

https://www.vox.com/2018/12/10/18134232/gun-violence-schools-mass-shootings

    The documentary from the module Bowling For Columbine (Moore, 2002), talks about the undeniable issue with gun violence and the school shooting that took place at Columbine High School. I was really disturbed by some of the things mentioned and how some of the people talked in the documentary, especially the way the NRA held pro gun rallies right after the shootings in the schools in those communities. The ignorance that their beliefs and movement is more important than the grieving and horrific thing that just happened to all those families and children. The Columbine High School students were affected deeply and for the rest of their lives. Something I found interesting from the film was how Canada at that time in 2002, had "10,000 homes and within that 7,000 guns." (Moore, 2002). Moore was searching for the answer as to why then, the murder rate and crime rate in Canada was very low. Ultimately it seemed the US live in fear based off the news and higher power. That is no way for anyone to live. Another tragic story that was told in the documentary was the shooting that took place in Flint, Michigan where a 6 year old boy took a gun to school and shot a 6 year old girl. The presence of guns should be no where near a child for such a thing to occur and it seems crazy to me that that needs to be said. "Overall, 57% of teens say they are worried about the possibility of a shooting happening at their school, with one-in-four saying they are very worried. About three-in-ten (29%) say they are not too worried about this, and just 13% say they are not at all worried." (Graf, 2018). Pew Research Center also came up with an idea of teachers being able to carry guns at school to ensure the safety of students. I disagree and think that is not the way to fix anything. Guns do not belong in schools. 

 

        The importance of safety in schools is priority. School violence is not just gun involvement, but it includes bullying, physical and sexual assault. "According to YRBS results from 13, 677 students: About 1 in 5 high school students reported being bullied on school property in the last year." Bullying and cyberbullying cannot be tolerated. In a study done from Alfred University, the top four reasons for school shootings are "other kids pick on them, make fun of them, or bully them; they want to get back at people for hurting them; they don't value life; and they have been a victim of physical abuse at home." (Alfred University, 2021). Teachers in schools should be aware and put an end to any bullying or hate of any kind. As a future teacher, I will make sure to let my students know they can talk to me about anything. I will make sure each of my students feel comfortable and accepted. I would like to teach between Kindergarten and second grade. At those young ages, it is important to shape their minds and give them a positive outlook on going to school. While it is beyond crazy that violence can be seen in schools at this young of an age, (as seen from the documentary in Flint Michigan) I must be aware of all of my students. Children can begin to suffer from depression and/or anxiety at any age, and I think the well-being and safety of my students is most important. I want my classroom to feel like a safe place for them. I will make sure that my students feel loved and appreciated, because I don't know what their home life looks like and unfortunately I may be the only one to tell them that. It is important for all people of all ages to know they are seen and appreciated. 

References

Graf, N. (2018). Majority of teens worry about school shootings, and so do most parents. Pew Research Center. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from 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. https://watchdocumentaries.com/bowling-for-columbine/

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