School shootings have been a problem in America for decades. The first school shooting occurred in 1764, 261 years ago, at Enoch Brown schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. This event is also known as the first school massacre. Since then, the rate of school shootings has climbed too high. The rate has significantly increased in the past 10 years, going from 47 shootings throughout the U.S 2014 to roughly 218 in 2024.
Just recently, on Wednesday, August 27, a school shooting occurred at the Minneapolis Annunciation Catholic school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The students were attending a worship service when 23-year-old Robin Westman attacked the school. The reason why will most likely never be known because after the school shooting, Westman shot herself. Police suspect the reasoning was religious, and the shooting was a Catholic hate crime.
As a child, Westman attended Minneapolis Annunciation. Two children were killed and 18 people were injured.
Firearms are now the leading cause of death for children ages 1-19. School shootings are a major part of this. Although our country has been working to stop them, they continue to happen week after week.
Something must be done to stop these shootings, but what? First, we must know the cause. Many times, it has to do with mental health. Mental health is one of the biggest problems teens face in today’s society. Many times it goes unnoticed and undiagnosed.
Mental health awareness exists, but isn’t talked about enough. Kids who think they might be struggling are usually too scared or embarrassed to admit it. When mental health goes unnoticed, it can result in terrible actions, such as kids wanting to hurt others.
The lack of mental health awareness has been the cause of many school shootings. Also, having easy access to guns in our country gives kids the opportunity to use one.
Another reason school shootings are happening is that students are being exposed to violence in video games and in the media at a young age, especially students with older siblings. They might see a shooting game and not understand exactly what is going on, but to them, the game is fun, and they want to play it.
Some kids guilty of attacking schools wanted to get back at others, or may have experienced trauma, or may have been bullied.
The fact that school shootings are still happening to this day shows we are not doing enough as a community.
“School shootings are a terrible event in our community and need to be stopped,” said Riya Krish ‘31.
Another student, Saanvi Kondu ’29, said, “I think they are devastating events that show serious issues with access to firearms, health, and school safety.”
School shootings should not still be happening. Students shouldn’t have to go to school knowing that there is a possibility they could get shot, and the fact that an attacker could be a student in their class that they see every day makes it even worse.
School is a place where we are supposed to learn and make memories with our friends, classmates, and teachers. It is a place for growth physically and mentally. Hopefully, our country will soon realize just how many school shootings are occurring each year and take more action to protect our future generations.
