...School Violence Violence in schools has spread widely throughout the nation. School violence is a big problem we are facing now. This has caused many problems among students, families’ faculty of schools and residents of the community. School violence includes gang activity, locker thefts, bullying and intimidation, gun use, assault, and drugs. In my paper I will discuss the reasons why violence in schools exists, describe the dangers and effects of school violence and what could or “should be done about it. There is definitely a problem with school violence today. The last 11 years have shown us that violence in our schools society is more common today than ever before. Whether the violence has to do with guns, knives, or just a simple fight, school violence is getting out of hand. In the United States, one-on-one public-school violence, such as beatings and stabbings or violence related to gang activity is more common in some densely populated areas, which tend to be impoverished sections of cities. According to the U S Department of Education, inner-city or urban schools were much more likely than other schools to report serious violent crimes, with 17 percent of city principals reporting at least one serious crime compared to 11 percent of urban schools, 10 percent of rural schools, and five percent of suburban town schools in the 1997 school year. Student-perpetrated school violence...
Words: 2202 - Pages: 9
...RUCHI Page 1 3/19/2011 American School Shooting’s Mass Shooting’s or multiple murders are people who have killed more then one victim. A mass murderer kills four or more people at one location during one continuous period of time, whether it is a few minutes or a period of days. An example of a mass murder would be Richard Speck, who killed eight student nurses in July of 1966 in a single night in their south Chicago Townhouse. Killers who murder several members of their family also fall under the mass murder category. Sociologists discover school shooters generally act on a perceived wrong done to them by others and view a climatic closure to the situation as the only way out. Frustrations accumulate into rage that motivates a spree. On August 1st 1966, Charles Whitman, a student at the University of Texas in Austin and a Marine, climbed twenty-seven stories up the university’s tower carrying a small arsenal. Upon reaching the top, he barricaded himself on the observation deck, after killing several people inside, and proceeded to randomly shoot people from there. According to Wikipedia, the sniper fire started shortly before noon and continued for several hours, until several police officers managed to gain entry to the observation deck, killing Mr. Whitman. It was later learned that Charles Whitman had complained about severe headaches and that he had a brain tumor, leading to much conjecture that this was the reason for his instability. Mr. Whitman, all in...
Words: 1055 - Pages: 5
...Teachers and Weapons in Schools Jessica Rhodes Composition II WI12 Instructor S. Cochran February 10, 2013 Abstract In this paper, I will explore the controversial question of whether teachers should be allowed or required to carry weapons on school campuses. The question of whether the topic should be entertained has come up time and again after tragedies occur, the timeline of which will be summarized herein. The recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that devastated the nation on December 14, 2012, has wrenched this debate crudely back into the spotlight. I will investigate different types of protective instruments that could possibly be used, as well as what types are used in schools that have such regulations. I will delve into the reasoning behind states that have implemented laws that allow teachers to carry guns in school and/or at school events. Included within are excerpts from this writer’s first-person interview conducted with Maria Otero-Ball, a kindergarten teacher in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a teacher of children the same age as those involved in the Newtown tragedy, Mrs. Otero-Ball offers a first-hand view on the changes that she and the school have made following the tragedy, as well as her views on the practicality of weapons in the school. My goals in preparing this paper are to expand my thoughts on the subject, peruse the thoughts of others, and explore the statistics to provide a better overall understanding of...
Words: 3993 - Pages: 16
...should be permitted to carry concealed weapons in their workplaces, such as schools and offices, which would deter criminals, increase security, and create an atmosphere of safety. Homicides by weapon type, 1976-2004. Gun-involved homicides have increased since falling to a low in 1999. Homicides by weapon type, 1976-2004. Gun-involved homicides have increased since falling to a low in 1999. (Berry, 2013)First, gun violence has been a topic of conversation in the political arena for a long time. The most common gun violence as well as violence by itself occurs in poor urban areas usually associated with gang violence. There has been a lot of school shooting such as the Virginia Tech shootings and Columbine high school massacre. It’s almost like clockwork when mass shootings occur there will be a debate on gun laws. Politicians have sought for the correct balance between what regulations to add and what not to add. Second, there has been an increase number of violence in schools that usually involve guns. Every day you turn on the news or read the newspaper you are guaranteed to find this issue in some form. For example, a recent school shooting involving a student that brought a gun to Sparks’ middle school killing one teacher and injuring two students, then decided to take his own life. They don’t know all the details yet and why he did what he did, but these types of shootings are happening more frequently. I have an 11-year-old...
Words: 1100 - Pages: 5
...School Shootings When I think of school shootings my mind immediately goes back to the Columbine High school shooting. This was the first school shooting that I was actually old enough to remember and understand. I still remember having a moment of silence for all of those involved. The New world encyclopedia states “Columbine High School shooting was one of the deadliest mass shootings in United States history. On April 20, 1999, two teenagers killed 13 people and wounded more than 20 at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. The incident drew worldwide attention. It led to widespread discussion over gun control and the prevention of school violence.” (Funk & Wagnalls) According to Wikipedia from 2011 to 2015 there has been 99 school shootings including grade schools, high schools, and colleges. This is a problem that needs more national attention in my opinion in order for there to be some form of change. The killers in school shootings (mass shootings) are what we call mass murderers, they typically want to send a message. It was stated the two students in Columbine sought revenge on bullies; this shooting/bombing was meant to send the message to them. According to a few articles I read they define their personalities as, “pseudocommando” these individuals kill in public during the daytime, plan their offense well in advance, and come prepared with arsenal of weapons, very similar to that of the school shooting killers. (Knoll) According to Warnick, the children...
Words: 1647 - Pages: 7
...Sally Ngo 3/23/2015 Professor Davis Mass School Shootings Should Not Get Media Attention “So our hearts are broken today -- for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children, and for the families of the adults who were lost. Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as well, for as blessed as they are to have their children home tonight, they know that their children’s innocence has been torn away from them too early, and there are no words that will ease their pain…” Obama delivered this speech to the solemn crowd about the horrific school shooting that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Should the media be allow to broadcast school shootings? The media is an accomplice in almost every single public shoot out. Nobody realize the risks local television stations and radio stations are doing by broadcasting school shooting. Could the media be at fault for creating mass shooters? Yes, because when events like this occurs, all major television stations drops their current duties and focus their attention on the shooting, and suddenly it becomes a major media event. Because they want to be the one who has the breaking news first. And that is what the perpetrator is aiming for; to become famous. The perpetrator now a name for him or herself and instantly he/she becomes an overnight celebrity. All major television and radio stations will talk about nothing else but him/her, the spotlight will primarily...
Words: 731 - Pages: 3
...police that he was just joking. Another 11-year old threatened to shoot his teachers tape player, and then the teacher. He didn’t like the music. Elizabeth Bush, who wanted to become a human rights activist or a nun, shot the head-cheerleader in the cafeteria. She did it to prove the other that she could do it. 3. One reason could be that the parents think that their children wouldn’t do such a horrible thing. The parents often choose to overlook the problems, and look the other way. The parents often don’t know when the children got problems. The school doesn’t notify the parents if anything is wrong. 4. I do agree with the statement. When an accident happens, and a plane crashes it can shock all people. They feel scared of flying. It is the same with school shootings. They are very rare, but when it happens it will scare many people. 5. They are mentioned, because they were the ones who made the most famous school shooting. They also gave the students the shorthand “Are you going to...
Words: 669 - Pages: 3
...The debate of whether violence is an innate or acquired behaviour has been increasing since these past years due to the appalling events -terrorist attacks and gender-based violence- society has been part of. Some scientists claim that violence is an innate behaviour, but what made a man enter a school and choke his daughter’s teacher till death was not an instinctive reaction but a premeditated action. So, what leads people to act violently? In most of the cases, people who commit a crime were either victims of marginalization or thought to be or react violently by their families or friends. Supporters of violence as an innate drive base their opinions on Darwin’s theory of evolution, in which violence is part of humans since through competition...
Words: 717 - Pages: 3
...Since 1980 there have been 137 fatal school shootings and 297 lives were lost to these unnecessary acts of violence. In the United States, the threat of school shootings has been an increasing danger to students and teachers alike. Even on July 26, 1764, four Lenape American Indians came into a school and killed the schoolmaster and nine or ten children, this is known as the Enoch Brown school massacre and was a notorious part of Pontiac’s rebellion. The more recent shootings such as Columbine and Virginia Tech a majority of those victims were students. Many of the victims cannot rely on police in the beginning of these attacks, the average shooting lasts around 12 minutes but average police response time is 18 Minutes. Teachers should be able to carry concealed weapons because armed teachers and staff can decrease the threats of school shootings, intruders on campus, and respond to threats faster than the time it takes police officers to respond. The police are effective in handling these threats but the response time can take too long, with school staff members armed with concealed weapons they can stabilize the situation before the police arrive. Carrying a concealed weapons could escalate the confrontation and...
Words: 601 - Pages: 3
...ability to respond to the demands or requirements of the environment. Some factors come into play during childhood or even earlier, whereas others do not appear until adolescence. Some involve the family, others the neighborhood, the school, or the peer group. Some become less important as a person matures. Somewhat informative but not sure if I want to use this source. Alexander Volokh with Lisa Snell. School Violence Prevention: Strategies to Keep Schools Safe. www.rppi.org/ps234.html. This site addresses that school violence is a serious problem, especially in public schools. Improving the quality of American education is difficult without also addressing school violence, since regardless of how good the teachers or curriculum are, violence makes it difficult for students to learn. School violence wears many faces. It includes gang activity, locker thefts, bullying and intimidation, gun use, assault—just about anything that produces a victim. Violence is perpetrated against students, teachers, and staff, and ranges from intentional vendettas to accidental killings of bystanders. Often, discussions of school violence are lumped together with discussions of school discipline generally, as both involve questions of how to maintain order in a school. This is a well informed site. Monica Davey and Jodi Wilgoren. Signs of Danger were missed in a Troubled Teenager’s Life. 24 Mar. 2005. www.nytimes.com .Some who knew Jeff...
Words: 901 - Pages: 4
...Guns, Schools and Mental Illness The above five words should never be placed into or used in a sentence together, yet, these five words are almost constantly in the news. The Second Amendment has been getting its share of attention during the last fifty years and specifically in the last twenty years. Here is where the arguments begin and end. No one can agree on the meaning of or what was intended when the amendment was actually written. The Second Amendment states, “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed” (Second Amendment) . This specific amendment dates back to England before Magna Carta when the Protestants were allowed to possess and carry guns although Catholics were not allowed. The interpretation of this depends on who is doing the interpreting (Second Amendment (1791)). The first school shooting happened in Greencastle, Pennsylvania in July of 1764, which killed the headmaster and either nine or ten children (School Shootings in the U.S. 1900-Present). Throughout the eighteen hundreds there were numerous school shootings. Also in the nineteen hundreds there were school shootings and America did not start the upheavals about guns and shooting children in schools until the late 1980’s or early 1990’s. In an eighteen year period from 1992 to 2010 there were a total of 240 homicides and 373 deaths attributed to school shootings (List of school shootings from...
Words: 809 - Pages: 4
...Weeks ago there was a school shooting in Parkland Florida, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (Schuster 1.)That shooting brought out demands for gun reform laws and change, from students across the nation. For example, students across the country walked out of schools on Wednesday, March 14, to honor and remember the 17 dead, for 17 minutes(Schuster 1.) This is going to follow up by a walk on Washington called“, March For Our Lives” on March 24 (Schuster 2.) With all the attention that this movement is causing, it has the nation divided once again. People are wondering if guns are the issue or if mental health and bullying is the issue. On February 14, 2018, a shooting in Parkland Florida created a movement (Schuster 1.) A man named Nikolas Cruz would kill 17 high school students, and wounded 16 others (Kirby 1) From this movement the issue of school shootings arrived. Everyone has an opinion, and people are split on how to tackle and eliminate mass shootings. Some say guns are to blame while others are saying mental health and bullying issues are to be blamed....
Words: 1038 - Pages: 5
...This paper will seek to determine why have school shootings become familiar media events. On April 20th 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, two students of Columbine High School, equipped with multiple firearms including explosives went on a killing spree, before committing suicide (Kohn, 2001). Wounding more than 20 people and causing the death of 13 people, the Columbine High School shooting is considered as one of the most important school shootings in history. School shooting is the action in which ‘multiple intentional killings’ are carried out in ‘educational institutions’ by one or more perpetrators (Böckler et al., 2013, p.3). The devastating event not only appeared on newspapers but it has since been adapted into an Oscar-winning...
Words: 1392 - Pages: 6
...Skills, Period 1 Research Paper Final Draft 17 March 2015 School Violence in Southern Florida Gun violence has led to more shootings in schools in Southern Florida and in order to help diminish the numbers in casualties more of the gun laws should be reinforced and strengthened. School reputations are being affected tremendously. Students that experience extremely traumatizing events, specifically a school shooting, will be driven toward lower academic levels and will have their behavior altered as well; such events have brought families closer together for the wrong reasons. Violence in schools is not dealt with appropriately, thus why it has reached a point where it endangers students of all ages. Parents, teachers and the school staff should try to do everything in their power to prevent school violence, this can ruin the children’s future. A school’s reputation is very important, especially to the incoming students and their parents. A parent is more likely to not send their child to a school with a record, especially when it has to do with violence. Violent students have the possibility to influence and harm the lives of others. Violent students most likely do not do their work and or participate, the more students with low academic levels, the worse it is for the school, resulting in the schools grade going from a higher grade level for example an A school to a C school. Students will never be able to walk those hallways the same, there will not be...
Words: 961 - Pages: 4
...Active School Shooter Introduction The intention of this paper is to look at and present some issues and strategies that members of a school community think about when trying to create safer schools. Particularly when addressing an active shooter in a school setting. A major issue to consider when trying to keep all schools safe, is the simple fact that no two schools are the same. Understanding this can lead us to the conclusion that it is impossible to have one global plan or program that can be 100% effective in all schools. “Violence prevention programs work best when they incorporate multiple strategies and address the full range of possible acts of violence in schools. For any set of policies to work, it must be established and implemented with the full participation and support of school board members, administrators, parents, students, community members, emergency response personnel, and law enforcement.” (Kramen, 2008.) If these responsibilities were not shared, the success rate for safe school policies would be very low. Parents send their children to school and think that during that time they are studying and doing other productive, educational things. The last thing parents expect is something terrible happening to their child while at school. School violence is happening more frequently than it should and something needs to be done to stop it. Not only does an act of school violence, especially a school shooting, affect the individual student it reflects poorly...
Words: 7891 - Pages: 32
