There’s a phenomenon that tragically happens every few months in the United States. A disaster that blows through communities and leaves them broken.
When I was in middle school, a kid brought a gun to school. Up until that point, I’d never realistically considered that it was a possibility to die at school. Dying was something that happened to old people who lived long rich lives, not for pimply middle schoolers who’d never been asked to a dance before. School shootings were things that only happened on the news.
But sitting in a science lab during a soft lockdown, I considered the fact that it could happen to anyone. That my best friend could one day become a hashtag on Instagram or Twitter (X). Or that my mother who teaches may go to work and never come home.
However, that thought is a reality for hundreds of survivors of school shootings across America. A dear friend of mine is memorializing her coach due to one.
Every few months, as a society, we’ve decided that it’s okay if a few people die in a mass shooting. From grocery stores to elementary schools, we’ve decided that thoughts, prayers, and a few hours of prime-time news coverage is enough. That there’s nothing we can do to keep this from happening. But school age kids shouldn’t be a “necessary casualty” for the sake of our perceived freedoms. And thoughts and prayers are not enough.
R rated movies and “Call of Duty” are not killing our children. But we’ve decided that there must be a good reason as to why. An elementary school should never need a metal detector or bulletproof doors, but we have decided that those are acceptable solutions. Over and over again, we’ve decided that these are acceptable, and they simply are not.
Preventing school shootings is a joint effort. Make sure to check in with your local police and ask what the plans for school shootings are on your campus. Counseling resources are always available to reach out to on your or someone else’s behalf. If you see something suspicious or out of the ordinary, say something. If you feel inclined to do so, exercise your right to vote.
