School Violence Causes and Prevention

The Columbine shootings of 1999 opened the world's eyes to the fact that schools are not immune to violence. Columbine was not the site of the first school shooting. February 1996, 14 year old Barry Loukaitis shot two students and a teacher in his algebra class in Moses Lake, WA. Shootings like these happen all over the world, not just here in the United States. The causes of school violence vary, but the effects are always devastating.

School Bullying

Many perpetrators of school violence admit that they were bullied in school by other students, children are cruel to those who are different without realizing the harm it does. Many of the shooters are described as shy, a loner or not having many close friends. Many kids who are bullied skip school on certain days when running into their tormentor is a possibility.

Mental Illness

Mental illness is one contributing factor for violence in any setting. After the Columbine shootings schools began keeping an eye out on students who displayed behavior that could be considered warning signs. In 2002, the U.S Department of Education and the U.S Secret Service began profiling students shooters and came up with the conclusion that most shooters had no definite "profile", but were classified as depressed, suicidal and felt that everyone was out to get them.

Access to Weapons

Gun laws make it impossible for underage kids to buy guns, but that does not stop them from getting them. The Columbine shooters had shotguns, a rifle and a semi-automatic handgun the morning of the shootings, how did the two boys acquire these weapons? A report published by the University of Southern California School of Medicine revealed that 35% of homes in the U.S. have a firearm and a child under the age of 18 years old in the home.

Dysfunctional Families, Abuse, and Violent Images

Dysfunctional families and physical abuse have been associated with violent behavior in teens, but is not considered a cause of violence. The economy makes it necessary for many two-parent households to work so there is no supervision or guidance for some kids. Drug abuse and violence on television could also be considered contributors to violence because video games meant for adults display simulated violence and fake blood. Kids who play these games become desensitized to the violent images in game play because it is not real.

What Can be Done to Prevent School Violence?

In most cases, the students involved in the shootings planned out their attacks and some told at least one person of their intentions. Some kept diaries or journals and others showed warning signs that went unnoticed, which suggests that these incidents did not just happen on the spur of the moment. Parents need to know what their kids do and who their friends are. While we should respect our teenager's privacy, we need to know if trouble is brewing. Get involved and pay attention, maybe some of these shootings could have been prevented if parents where more involved in their children's lives.

One way to prevent school violence is to teach children from preschool level proper social skills and reinforce positive behavior. Kids do not automatically know that unkind words can hurt for a long time and treating others badly because they are different is wrong, not just socially unacceptable. We need to teach or children about being respectful to one another, not just to their parents and teachers. Hurting others physically or with unkind words is not acceptable, there are other ways to work out your differences.The Consortium to Prevent School Violence is attempting to change things by distributing material to school personnel in the form of two-page fact sheet handouts on the overview of school violence prevention, bullying prevention, anger management, and school resource officers.

Reference:
Constitutional Rights Foundation:Causes of School Violence

National School Safety Center :What Causes School Violence

Infoplease: Time line of Worldwide School Shootings

The Consortium to Prevent School Violence