Young kids are sent to school everyday with the belief they are safe. However, the unexpected has become too expected, devastating America. The terror of elementary students, the tragic aftermath mourning losses and yet another school shooting has doomed the families of the Covenant School.
On Monday, March 27, just after 10 A.M., the Nashville community faced a tragedy as a mass shooting broke out in an elementary school. The catastrophic event led to the killing of six people: three young students and three adults. The Nashville community is suffering the loss of many loved ones from an act of gun violence.
Three 9-year-olds left their families that morning to go to school and never returned. Let that sink in. Coming back home alive is not a problem that parents should be worried about daily.
Innocent children and staff were killed due to a lack of change in America. Since Columbine, over 348,000 students have experienced gun violence at school. Just 4 months into 2023, and there have already been 130 mass shootings in the United States.
How many more incidents need to occur for a change to happen? How many more innocent people have to die for school shootings to be eliminated? The families and friends of the victims will never fully heal. The young children will never have a future or another chance to live in this world. The thoughts and prayers expressed bring the community together, but aren’t enough to make real change.
Students go to school everyday and are told it’s a safe place to learn and grow. Spending a majority of their childhood in this environment, students should be protected from violence. Though, in America, this hasn’t been the case for many. How is a child supposed to feel safe about going to school when a student their own age was shot in their town? How is a parent supposed to feel safe sending their children to school knowing a kid their own age was shot?
America deems mass shootings to be “tragically unexpected” yet it seems there are constantly innocent victims being killed due to gun violence. At Pleasant Valley, there have been several threats of violence. Senior Reagan Hassel said, “Shootings have become so common that we are constantly thinking about our escape plan in all situations. I feel like I am always thinking about what I have on hand to defend myself if something were to happen.”
Nobody ever thinks a tragedy of this sort would happen to them, but it is an event that has been known all too well for too many families. Politics aside, the common goal is to stop innocent lives from being taken. Many of the shooters suffer their own battles leading them to commit these acts. Though their actions are unforgivable, giving people the tools to prevent future acts like this will prevent more shootings.
The polarization of gun rights drives America away from change. Focusing on services to those suffering emotional and mental health struggles will aid individuals from spiraling. “It’s not about gun rights, it’s about who has access and making sure they are in the right headspace. The mental state is what’s important when allowing someone to have access to firearms. Having mental health resources and training skills beyond schooling is important because issues don’t stop once a student leaves the school,” Hassel said.
19 states have adopted the Red Flag Law as an extreme risk protection law. This is a tool to use to protect those that haven’t committed a crime but are a posed threat to either themselves or others. Amy Bar horst, of UC Davis, reflected on the time before California established this law, “When somebody was making threats about hurting people at their school or even threats of suicide, there wasn’t much that could be done.” Barnhorst believes this law has prevented several acts of violence. “Red flag laws have changed that. With the law, there is something that can be done about people who are making threats or have concerning behaviors,” Barnhorst said.
Pleasant Valley has a community of resources to aid those that may need additional support. Mental health is something that is important for all students. PV school therapist Jennifer Cob said, “School-based therapy is offered to any student who has consent from their caregiver and wants to participate. Students who have graduated or are taking online courses have the option to continue meeting with me even when they are not attending school.”
History repeats itself and these school shootings are no different. One of the worst school shootings in the United States, Columbine, was fueled by students that faced psychological issues and ultimately commit suicide. The recent Michigan State shooting was also a result of a student suffering from the loss of their mother and dealing with mental issues. When an individual is diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety, suicide is very probable. These suicidal thoughts become a danger to society and this is where gun accessibility needs to be limited.
When an individual is fighting demons, their headspace becomes clouded and they struggle to act rationally. This causes the person to become an endangerment. Seeking signs that lead to this state is key to preventing more shootings and having a country that can send kids to school without worrying for their life.
