School Violence

School Violence Can Be Prevented.

Mandy Grenier                     

Feb.7,2013 

                     





    For viewers across the nation, December 14, 2012 is a day that will not soon be forgotten. At 9:41 a.m., a 20 year old man “Armed for war” entered an elementary school in Newton Conn. And opened fire on students and staff. News reports flooded stations as 27 were found dead, 20 of which were children ages 5 to 10 years old. Since 1980, 297 people have been killed in school shootings and each year more violence invades the hallways.  As the mother of 4 children, hearing the news that my kindergartner was shot by a madman wandering the hallways of her elementary school is almost unimaginable, the most horrific news a parent could ever receive. The hearts of people across the United States broke that day in December for the parents arriving at the fire station to find their child was not among the survivors.



    For some, these violent invasions into our schools raise many unanswered questions. School authorities repeat the same statements to press after each new incident, stating that they never thought this could happen in their school and that immediate measures will be taken to increase school security. Why do we wait until violence strikes to begin thinking of how to prevent it? The reality continues to be ignored, that we can prevent these tragedies from occurring ahead of time. Communities need to take a proactive approach to violence in schools and prevent the deaths of more innocent children.



    We often take for granted our safety and the safety of our children in our school districts. Budget cuts and tax arguments continue to be approached by local government with no positive solution. Little priority is placed on the issue of school security, until tragedy strikes and for those victims of violence a  solution after the fact comes far too late. We cannot place a price on the lives of innocent children.



    Even in districts where violent attacks have already occurred, security temporarily becomes top priority but eventually falls once again to the bottom of the list. In San Diego, California on October 8, 2010, a shooter leapt the fence of an elementary school and opened fire on a busy playground, wounding two girls, ages 6 and 7. Authorities told police that though the school had three security officers, all three were off duty the day of the shooting. As of this year, the school still has not increased it's number of security officers. Since the 2010 shooting, budgets for on campus officers has been cut multiple times, in a district where three separate shootings alone have occurred.



    I witnessed just how unsafe my own daughter's school was on a rainy day this past week. Amidst my hectic day I received a phone call that she had forgotten her lunch and I raced between errands to drop it to her. It was pouring when I arrived and placed the hoodie of my black jacket up to cross the parking lot. I entered through an unlocked, unmanned door facing the office to find an empty desk. The secretary that was supposed to be watching the unsecured entrance was nowhere to be found. I passed the office and headed down a hallway to use a restroom, then down a second to her classroom. Hoodie covering most of my face I was passed by three teachers and a janitor, none of which questioned my presence. Her unlocked classroom door was completely covered with art work, leaving the teacher unable to see into the hallway before opening the door to an unannounced visitor.



    As I left the school a terrible thought occurred to me. I thought of how easily I had just breached that elementary school and wandered it's hallways. I remembered the lack of concern from the teachers and staff that simply allowed a stranger wearing a black hoodie, face covered, to pass them by without so



much as a glance. What if I had been a shooter? I realized at that moment that my daughter is not safe.



    In order to prevent yet another massacre, we as a community need to become proactive and take  necessary measures to prevent school violence. It will take our society as a whole to achieve this goal, beginning with our local government. Schools should be issued grants specifically to increase our student's safety. All schools, from K-12 to University Campuses should receive funding to place metal detectors at entrances and hire security officers. Communities can host fundraisers to place surveillance cameras in parking lots and blind spots along the outside perimeter of  buildings. There are other lower cost solutions as well, including doors that lock from the inside. Security tags must be worn by visitors at all times and most importantly staff trained to immediately stop anyone in a hallway not wearing one. All school staff including superintendents, teachers, janitors, office staff and even volunteers should be required to attend seminars hosted by local police to increase their awareness to potential dangers. Local police can also increase their presence by patrolling parking lots and checking playgrounds as a regular part of their daily routes.



    Many people have a false sense of security, unable to imagine that these acts of violence will ever come to their schools, to their Child's schools. They believe that locked doors and hall monitors are enough to keep the horrific tragedy at bay. Others feel that there is no easy solution to the issue and instead focus their attention on plans of action dealing with when an incident occurs, instead of working to prevent it. But the truth is that acts of violence can in fact strike anywhere at anytime. Let's take an active step to prevent the events of that cold day last December from occurring here in our communities. Until we become proactive, the question will continue to loom in the back of our minds. Where will the violence strike next?