If you're a student or teacher, it should be obvious to you by now that some schools are not safe places. In fact, one could argue that schools may be the most dangerous places in the United States right now.
On December 13, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza stormed through Sandy Hook Elementary School's front entrance with a semi-automatic rifle and massacred 20 children and six adults. Over 2.5 years later, on October 24, 2014, 14-year-old Jaylen Fryberg opened fire at Marysville High School in Washington State with a .40 caliber handgun he had stolen from his father's drawer. Fryberg shot five students before fatally shooting himself. Two of the students died immediately after being shot; one died at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle; one was declared brain dead at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett; and another is still recovering from her injuries to this day.
Even if you don't follow politics closely (and I certainly do not), you'll notice that any time there's a school shooting the media starts going crazy about gun control again for whatever reason (spoiler: it's because they're all liberal idiots). This cycle has been repeated countless times over the past years as more school shootings continue to grab headlines across America: Columbine High School massacre, April 1999; Amish school shooting in Pennsylvania, October 2006; Northern Illinois University shooting, February 2008; Virginia Tech massacre, April 2007; Chardon High School shooting in Ohio on February 27th 2012 (this list goes on and on...).
Gun violence
Schools are meant to be safe places for students. Unfortunately, we've seen far too many instances where guns have put the safety of students in danger. Many schools have taken steps to limit the ability of students to bring firearms onto school property, but it's still not enough. Guns have no place in our schools, and this is a problem that must be addressed immediately.
Teacher safety concerns
Teachers, who went into the field to develop and inspire students, are often placed in a position where they are not adequately prepared for what may occur during their day. They might find themselves responsible for supervising students in all areas: from the classroom to the hallways, lunchroom and playground.
There are some schools that have a few security staff members but usually not enough to adequately cover the entire school grounds. There is also no budget for security in most schools with many of them being underfunded.
Without funding or proper training and support, teachers aren’t fully equipped for more challenging situations that may arise. Many teachers often end up taking on extra responsibilities such as cleaning up after lunch or recess and when it comes time to deal with behavioral issues they have no other choice but to do so by themselves without any backup. Some teachers have even said they are afraid to go back to work or report difficult situations because of fear of getting fired or reprimanded by their supervisors if they ask for too much help or assistance in dealing with unsafe environments.
Teachers unable to control students
Schools struggle because of the lack of respect students have for teachers and the inability by parents to back up teachers. Students are not afraid of any consequence imposed by a teacher because they know that their parents will side with them and not allow them to be punished, removed from class or suspended. This lack of parental support has led to many teachers leaving their positions as a result of feeling powerless in the classroom. They also fear for their personal safety when attacked both verbally and physically by students who have no concern for the teacher's job or livelihood. Combine this with many administrators who do not want to upset parents or deal with district authorities who will side with the parent, and you have a recipe for disaster. To prevent this type of behavior will require society as a whole becoming less concerned about political correctness and more worried about teaching children right from wrong. When you see an adult being disrespected, you call them out on it, whether it is at work or out in public. We need to do that now with our children before they become adults and act worse than they do now as kids!
Schools are not safe places for students or teachers
Schools are not safe places for students or teachers, so you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. You should also have a plan in case something happens, as well as know your rights as a student or teacher in these situations. Being prepared and practicing good hygiene will ensure that you stay alert during class and avoid negative people who may incite violence with their words or actions. It’s important to avoid making decisions when you are stressed out and practice good posture while sitting down, standing up, or walking around campus since this can help prevent injuries if an incident occurs. Avoiding arguments will also keep the peace between classmates in addition to keeping everyone calm during stressful situations such as tests or presentations given by peers.
