The issue with school shootings in today’s world is bigger than ever. Just last year (2024) there were 50 shootings around the U.S. School threats and shootings have become a normal thing for students and teachers to worry about. 40 years ago this was not the case.
To better understand this topic, I have interviewed individuals who were students in elementary school in 1984 and now are teachers at an elementary school in 2024.
In 1984, students did not have to worry about school threats and shootings. The biggest issues teachers had to worry about were little arguments between students. Huge mass shootings in school were unimaginable to students and teachers.
Elementary school teacher Jodie Mason states, “As a child I always felt safe at school. I never worried about being hurt at school.”
The main thing Mason had to worry about growing up in northwest Ohio was bad weather or a tornado.
School safety in 1984 consisted of basic fire drills, tornado drills and sometimes security drills. This was where the students would just hide under their desks. This was never taken seriously, though, because schools were not worried about shootings. Schools had trust in their community and never thought something horrible could happen.
Compared to today, drills have shifted drastically. Foundational elements of school safety are comprehensive safety drills students have to learn.
Mason tells us about her elementary school’s plan if there was an active shooter. “We have a floor locking system; then, we cleat the door, after that we have a cover on the window, so no one can see in. Next, I make sure the students stand away from the door in case the shooter would come into my classroom, and finally, my main goal is to protect all of my students.”
“I would give my life for them, and I know in this day and age that is part of my responsibility as their teacher, ” Mason remarks.
Today’s teachers have to make sure their own fears do not get in the way of protecting their students. This is extremely hard on a teacher and can become very overwhelming. A lot of college students choose to not become an educator because of this reason.
There is a large demand for more teachers; the job market projection has grown to 120,300 openings before 2031 for just elementary school, as noted by State Teacher Shortages in 2024 Update. Threats on schools, according to State Teacher Shortages in 2024 Update, make it very difficult for anyone who would want to work in this field.
The sad truth is students today do not know any difference than having to worry they could be a part of a mass shooting; it is all that they know and have grown up with.
Talking with a student that is in middle school he said, “Anytime I hear a loud noise, my brain automatically thinks of a school shooting.”
School for students has become a place of danger rather than a place to learn. Having anxiety about the dangers at school can affect the ability to focus and learn while at school.
The reality of school shootings has been taken too far. Teachers fight to promote change during these terrible times. Something needs to be done to protect our children and teachers.
Some solutions that could prevent gun violence in schools include stricter gun laws, mental health help in schools and community building programs. There needs to be a change, and that change needs to happen now, as Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools explains.
Mental health awareness in schools can lead to many advantages that can help prevent school shootings from happening. These advantages include: 1.Increased mental health awareness enables educators to recognize early signs of distress or behavioral changes in students. 2.Promoting mental health can help students not feel alone, and it can make them feel like they have someone to talk to. 3.Being educated on mental health, students can learn how to deal with their issues in a healthy way and not have to use violence.
The school experience in 1984 vs. 2024 is completely different. In the past, we had a sense of safety and trust in our classrooms; that is not the case anymore. It is important to prioritize the safety of our students in schools today.
We, as a society, need a change, and this change needs to happen fast. Only then we can create a future where learning can thrive free from the weight of fear.
