Single Memorial Candle Burning in Honor of School Shooting Victims

School Shooting Prevention: A Teacher’s Urgent Call

School Shooting Prevention: A Teacher’s Urgent Call

School Shooting Prevention: A Teacher’s Urgent Call

School Shooting Prevention: A Teacher’s Urgent Call

School Shooting Prevention: A Teacher’s Urgent Call

School Shooting Prevention: A Teacher’s Urgent Call

School Shooting Prevention: A Teacher’s Urgent Call

School Shooting Prevention: A Teacher’s Urgent Call

School Shooting Prevention: A Teacher’s Urgent Call

The laughter was disarming. For a moment, you’d forget that this 8-year-old boy had already seen more violence and pain than most adults. But every day after recess, I’d brace myself for the possibility of another outburst—a punch thrown, a desk flipped—reminders that his world was unraveling. His humor couldn’t hide the anger boiling just beneath the surface, fueled by his parents’ divorce and a father he could no longer see.

That boy would be in his thirties today—if he’s still alive. His story haunts me, not because it was an anomaly, but because it’s far too common. Every year, I watched more children buckle under the weight of emotional trauma, and our schools weren’t prepared to help them.

We’re losing our kids. Slowly, then all at once. And after decades in education, I can say with certainty that we must do better—because they’re not safe, and we’ve known it for far too long.

His story, though heartbreaking, isn’t an exception. It mirrors a painful reality I’ve seen again and again. Too many children are silently drowning in emotional pain, and our schools aren’t equipped to save them. We can’t keep ignoring their struggles until it’s too late. We need to nurture their hearts and minds long before they reach a breaking point.

I taught both before and after the 1999 Columbine shooting, and the change was drastic. Suddenly, we weren’t just teaching math and reading. We were preparing for the unthinkable.

Now, an entire generation of children has grown up with a reality unimaginable to those who came before. While past generations practiced fire drills, today’s students regularly take part in lockdown drills—a constant, haunting reminder that school may no longer be a place of safety.

These children understand all too well why they’re hiding in silence. Their young minds grapple with fears no child should face: Will my light-up shoes give away my hiding spot? Will I be able to text my family goodbye?

This ever-present sense of danger has stripped away the security that classrooms once promised. The overwhelming emotional burden these children carry is something no previous generation has had to endure.

The Scale of the Crisis

To fully grasp the urgency of this issue, we need to look at the data:

As of December 17, 2024, there have been at least 84 school shootings in the United States. These incidents include shootings on both college campuses and K-12 school grounds, resulting in 38 deaths and over 115 injuries. This number surpasses the 82 school shootings recorded in 2023, marking a new high since data collection began.

These aren’t just numbers—they represent shattered lives, traumatized communities, and futures forever altered.

A Grim New Reality

In 2020, our worst fears were realized. Guns became the number one killer of children and teens in America, surpassing car accidents. Let that sink in. The very tools designed to protect us are now the greatest threat to our youngest and most vulnerable.

This isn’t just a statistic—it’s a screaming alarm bell. Our children are living in a world where their biggest danger isn’t the rush of traffic or the threat of disease, but the weapons we’ve allowed to proliferate in our society.

The Enemy Within

Even more chilling is where this danger lurks. According to a 2019 U.S. Secret Service report, 87% of school shooters were current or recent students of the school they targeted. This isn’t an outside threat we can barricade against—it’s coming from within our own walls, from the very children we’re trying to nurture and protect.

Scars That Never Fade

The ripples of these tragedies spread far and wide, leaving no one untouched:

  • Survivors carry invisible wounds, battling PTSD, anxiety, and depression long after the headlines fade.
  • In affected communities, antidepressant use among youth skyrocketed by 21.4% following shootings.
  • For many students, the sanctuary of the classroom is forever shattered, replaced by a persistent undercurrent of fear.
  • Teachers—once focused on inspiring minds—now grapple with the weight of being the last line of defense.

Behind every cold statistic is a story that should break our hearts—a child’s laughter silenced, a family’s dreams shattered, a community’s innocence lost. 

As a teacher who has watched fear creep into our schools like a slow poison, I can tell you these numbers, shocking as they are, barely scratch the surface of the true cost.

Our children’s futures pay the price of our inaction. How many more must we lose before we say “enough”?

America’s Deadly Exception

The United States stands alone in this crisis. Between 2009 and 2018, the U.S. experienced 288 school shootings. The next highest? Mexico, with 8. Japan, Italy, and Germany had zero. This stark contrast begs the question: what are we doing wrong?

Beyond Blame: Five Critical Solutions

The problem is complex, but the path forward is clear. Experts agree on several critical steps we must take—steps that will save lives and protect our children:

  • Implement universal background checks for all gun purchases. No loopholes. Every buyer should be vetted to ensure guns don’t end up in dangerous hands.
  • Enforce red flag laws, empowering families and law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who show signs of being a danger to themselves or others. This proactive step can stop tragedies before they start.
  • Invest in school-based mental health support. Our schools are on the front lines of this crisis. By providing students with the resources to address emotional struggles early, we can prevent these challenges from escalating into violence.
  • Raise the minimum age for gun ownership from 18 to 21. Pair this with mandatory safety certification to ensure gun owners are mature enough and fully trained in the responsibilities of firearm ownership.
  • Ban access to assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. These weapons of war have no place in our schools or communities. Limiting their availability is a crucial step toward reducing mass shootings.

 

Clearing Up Common Myths

Some argue that arming teachers is the answer. But arming teachers won’t make our schools safer—it will make them more dangerous. A 2021 study showed that armed officials don’t reduce the severity of shootings. And most teachers are against it. They don’t want guns in their classrooms; they want resources to protect and support their students.

Others claim this is solely a mental health issue. Yes, mental health plays a role, but the facts are clear. 

Countries around the world face similar mental health challenges, yet they don’t experience school shootings on the same scale. We must address both mental health and the easy access to deadly firearms. Without tackling both, we are leaving our children vulnerable.

A Call to Action

For over two decades, we’ve allowed a crisis to persist where school bells signal fear instead of learning. The cost is measured not only in lives lost but in the trauma that haunts our communities and a generation of children who have never known truly safe schools.

It’s time to reclaim our classrooms as places of growth and learning. Our children deserve to focus on their education, not survival strategies. Parents deserve peace of mind when they send their kids to school. Teachers should be free to nurture minds, not plan for unthinkable scenarios.

The path forward is clear:

  • Implement universal background checks
  • Enforce red flag laws
  • Invest in school-based mental health support
  • Raise the minimum age for gun ownership
  • Ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines

 

These aren’t just policy points—they’re lifelines for our children and our future. The time for debate is over. The time for action is now.

Our children are watching, waiting, and hoping for change. Let’s not let another generation grow up in the shadow of fear. Together, we can and must create schools where safety and learning go hand in hand.

The choice is ours. The time is now. Our children’s lives depend on it.

Feeling overwhelmed by cellphones, social media, and other modern parenting challenges? You’re not alone. As the parenting landscape evolves, it’s natural to seek guidance along the way.

Our Parenting 2.0 Resource Library offers practical tips for managing technology use, insights on digital safety, and strategies for navigating today’s unique parenting situations. Discover tools to support your family in this digital age.

Share this post

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

 

What are you waiting for? Grab your seat to the free Shine Your Light live workshop now!

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.