Living in a World With School Shootings
In a place that is meant to be a safe learning environment, people are terrified of going to school.
There have been nearly 150 school shootings in the United States alone in the past 20 years. Out of those shootings, there have been more than 300 fatalities.
For every decade since 1970, school shootings have increased. This leads schools to become more and more protective over their students and adding the best security tools possible.
In most public schools in Louisiana, there are hundreds of security cameras installed in the hallways, as well as security guards or police officers on campus 5 days a week.
“Sometimes I see it scares the younger students to see a cop or security guard walking around the school. They are only there to make sure the school is safe, but I hate that we need a cop there 24/7 to make sure a shooting or something doesn’t happen,” Lakeside Primary Principal Laurent Thomas commented.
It’s become an event that happens so much that there are drills both faculty and students must run through multiple times a year. Pretending a real shooter is on campus, doors are locked, lights are turned off, and students must remain silent for as long as the drill lasts.
Southeastern sophomore Lainey Lee said, “I remember my first school shooting drill. I don’t think I was older than seven years old and I was absolutely terrified. No one knew the drill was happening, and I thought it was real the entire time.”
Lee also explained how she always kept her eye out for something strange from that day forward. And for many students, they do the same thing.
People hear stories of school shootings, and it breaks their hearts knowing such a crazy thing could happen. But in the same thought, they never think it could happen to them. As terrifying as it is to think, anyone could become a victim of a school shooting.
For those who do experience school shootings, the impacts are lifelong. Many students refuse to go back to school because they don’t feel safe.
Even schools in the same district or town as one who suffered a school shooting are affected. It’s a horrific event that affects the entire world. There is always a constant question of who will be next.
After hearing about the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, sixth grade social studies teacher Conrad Ashford said, “I was scared to go back to school to teach. But I wanted to be brave for my students. I was happy I returned because many students talked to me about their fears and we all bonded with that in a weird way.”
If you were to visit public schools today, it’s very hard to become a visitor to walk freely. Most schools today have fences surrounding the campus, main entrances are locked, meaning you must be buzzed in and you have a specific reason to be there.
Some schools even have metal detectors for students to walk through every day to be safe.
Adapting is the best way to cope with school shootings. As terrifying as it is to admit, they will happen. Being prepared is the most a school can do at this point.
