Essay Sample on School Shootings

“Since the Columbine massacre, there have been a total of 304 fatal school shootings and counting” 

-Abigail Vidgerman 

This brutal statistic spans from 1999 to 2019, with countless other fatalities occurring since 2019. Everyday, students and teachers fear the classroom. No one ever thinks their school will be the target, until gunshots ricochet around the hallways and screams surround the air. The subject of gun violence in American schools is extremely important and urgent because of the way society is harshly impacted, along with the various implications of how students view going to school on a daily basis. 

The issue of school shootings is urgent because of the variety of people that are affected when an incident occurs. When explaining the lasting effects of the Columbine attacks, author Glenn Muschert accounts, “Few terms are as broadly applied as points of reference or retained with continued relevance as Columbine. Even youth born after the actual attacks in 1999 immediately recognize the meaning. The term still expresses a widespread angst regarding the risk of such attacks in the present” (362). Overtime, the word “Columbine” has been used more to describe other school shootings and its connection to violence in schools rather than the specific historical event. It is very important to understand how a traumatic incident 20 years ago (Columbine) can still greatly impact the present. The word Columbine continues to make people uncomfortable to this day. There are often irreplaceable voids left in the heart of families from these tragic events. Students and teachers wreak first-hand accounts and experiences, however, families and communities are greatly impacted. When Muschert talks about his personal experience studying at the University of Colorado, Boulder at the time of the attacks, he states, “The following day was a Wednesday and a teaching day for me at the university. I clearly remember that the students on the campus seemed to be walking around in a collective sort of daze as all seemed to have some personal connection with the tragedy. As the flagship public academic institution in Colorado, the majority of the CU student population were in-state students” (360). Muschert compares Columbine to events such as 9/11 where one remembers the exact day and time the shooting occurred. The author provides his credibility to the event as he was teaching at the University of Colorado at Boulder during the shooting, which is a short drive from the notorious high school. Whether one is related to a student or faculty involved in the shooting, the surrounding area takes a traumatizing hit. 

It is important for all stakeholders to chime in and help protect the younger generation safely earn their education. There are multiple ways to curb gun violence in schools, however, it requires the help of many people. Should this issue be handled by the government, individual states, or the people? There are various ways in which each societal group can help diminish the recurrence of school shootings. When Michael McQuiller explains the process for buying a gun, he states, “Forty percent of gun purchases occur through private sales where no background check is required. Although these sales are sometimes harmless transfers between friends and family members, their prevalence leaves plenty of room for questionable and dangerous firearm sales to occur. Federal law does not require private sellers to check the identification of buyers, allowing a gaping hole for minors or those with felony records to purchase a firearm” (15). McQuiller argues that the government and federal law should mandate stronger background checks and they should be the one to enforce stricter rules when it comes to purchasing guns. That being said, there are a vast amount of people who argue that stricter background checks would not be useful. Either way, the majority of people agree that students should never fear attending school due to the risk of an active shooter. In this article, McQuiller also details how Columbine shooters, Harris and Klebold, attended a gun show where they purchased their guns without a background check (McQuiller 15). For certain, no individual in the United States should have the freedom to purchase a gun without any form of security that follows. 

The topic of school shootings is extremely urgent due to the numerous unanswered questions found within the subject. What actions can be taken to prevent future school shootings? When discussing potential solutions to reducing gun violence, author Michael McQuiller states, “The tragic loss of life at Sandy Hook Elementary could have been reduced substantially if substitute teachers had a key that locked the door to their classrooms.125 President Obama’s executive orders in the aftermath of the event addressed school emergency planning but did not require schools to follow the plans developed by the administration” (17). This is a great point because the author brings up a real-world example of how mandatory planning for school shootings could have prevented further deaths. While school shootings will likely occur, attempting to reduce the vast number of them is crucial for both students and their families. 

Other highly sought out questions include what are the moral positions regarding the 2nd Amendment, gun control and strengthening gun rights? How can we prevent putting guns in the hands of murderers and criminals? Is bullying a major factor?

How does the media perceive school shooters and the violent acts they commit? Muschert refers to Adam Lankford and Eric Madfis when proposing a recommendation to eliminate the media’s posting pictures and bibliographic information of shooters directly after a shooting. Muschert states, “This change would deny rampage shooters the infamy many seem to crave, and it would avoid the copycat effect” (369). Unfortunately, mass murderers, terrorists, and other killers commit acts of brutality simply for the notorious fame they will receive through various media outlets. Due to the copycat effect, prospective shooters are often inspired and motivated by the actions of the shooter seen on TV to commit similar violence. 

On the other hand, there are countless inquiries regarding the root cause of school shootings. There is an ongoing debate whether violent video games lead to violent actions in society. Do violent video games cause violence? When explaining the life of Sandy Hook shooter, Adam Lanza, author James Fox states, “However, his gaming may be more a symptom of his personality and temperament than the cause. As a socially awkward youngster, reportedly with Asperger’s syndrome, his social isolation may be the key to his preoccupation with gaming as well as his rampage against an unwelcoming society” (133). It is important to note that not all studies come to the same conclusion about the root cause of school shootings. This topic is still debated to this day, however, researchers are constantly making progress on undercovering why someone would want to harm others in a school setting. While the majority of people feel violent video games are not the root cause, many people argue that violent video games are the primary cause. 

While there continue to be hundreds of lurking questions, one idea is certain, students should never be afraid to attend school. When a school shooting occurs, everyone is impacted, thus explaining why the significance of combatting the nationwide issue of gun violence in American schools is so urgent.