A few weeks ago, I covered a city council meeting in which the local Chief of Police asked for funds to purchase some needed equipment that would aid his officers in responding to active shooter and domestic violence situations. One of the things he requested was suppressors for his officer’s long guns. He explained that, when an officer fires their weapon, say in a school hallway or a church sanctuary, the report from the shot in that enclosed space will temporarily deafen that officer, making him or her less effective in dealing with the threat or in being able to hear and respond to the needs of victims. The Council members agreed that the requested equipment was important and necessary, but being mindful of end of year budget constraints, chose to postpone those purchases until next year so that the expense of the equipment can be included in upcoming budget planning.
A number of folks at that meeting expressed the sentiments that are common when we think about such frightening and tragic events. “We hope to God that it never happens here”.
In truth, law enforcement officials, teachers and school administrators don’t have the luxury of “hoping that it never happens here”. Police officers, school administrators and your children’s and grandchildren’s teachers have to have the mindset of, “when it happens here”. Why? Because there is no other way to prepare for the “unthinkable” except to think about how to respond to it and then practice that response. This is why local law enforcement officers had active shooter training exercises prior to the start of the school year. This is why every kid in every school practices lockdown drills.
During my career as a high school teacher, a colleague and I met with local law enforcement and County Emergency Management staff to talk through how we would respond to an active shooter in our school. The planning is both extensive and jarring. It includes making sure that every teacher and school staff person knows what to do and what not to do in an active shooter situation. It involves training kids on how to barricade themselves into rooms, how to get themselves into small spaces and, as a last resort, how to fight like hell by throwing textbooks and laptops at a shooter. It involves teaching kids where to hit a classroom window to break it so that it can become an exit. It involves planning escape routes and setting up safe rendezvous points. It involves setting up reunification centers and determining who the point person is for talking to parents and the media. It involves training for staff on how to treat gunshot wounds and it involves talking about how to evacuate students from areas where there are classmates and teachers who are casualties.
On December 17th, there was a school shooting in my hometown. The shooter killed a teacher and a fellow student and wounded several other students, some grievously, before turning the gun on herself. I know people who have kids and grandkids who attend that school. A childhood friend of mine taught at that school. A friend of mine knew one of the students who died. The aftermath of this event is unimaginable grief, sadness and horror. No student will walk into that building without thinking about what happened on a Monday morning a few days before Winter Break. No teacher will enter their classroom without thinking about the students and colleagues lost. The trauma experienced by this close-knit school community will be long lasting and for some, will never heal.
School shootings have become commonplace in America. There have been 83 school shootings this year. According to data collected by The Gun Violence Archive, Education Week and Every Town For Gun Safety, these incidents have left 38 people dead and 115 injured. 31,000 children across 21 States have been directly impacted by school shootings. No other country on the planet comes anywhere close to experiencing this problem on the scale that we do. Think about that as an example of “American Exceptionalism”. Surely, we can do better!
A recently elected official, speaking on the day after a mass shooting in Iowa, told an audience at one of his political rallies that, “We love you; we pray for you and we ask God to heal and comfort, really, the whole state. We’re really with you, as much as anybody can be… but we have to get over it. We have to move on.” Such a response shows an exceptionally shallow understanding of the problem and complete lack of empathy for the people impacted by such violence. Perhaps this elected official has a concept of a plan brewing somewhere to address this situation.
The reality is that we don’t have to get over it and we can’t simply move on. According to data compiled by the organization, Sandy Hook Promise, more than 338,000 students in the US have experienced gun violence in school since the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among American children and teens and is clearly a public health crisis. Why should easy access to weaponry matter more than our children’s right to be safe in school? The application of thoughts and prayers is meaningless in addressing this problem and does not take the place of strong public action or sound public policy.
If inaction on school shootings and the impact on children and communities doesn’t sit well, there are things that one can do. To begin with, educate yourself on the issue. The sources below are a starting point. Know the warning signs that often precede a school shooting. If you see evidence of a student who is struggling emotionally, speak up. Get them help. Advocate for increased funding from State officials for mental health services in schools. Talk to family members, educators, law enforcement, civic leaders and community members. Pressure lawmakers for stronger gun safety legislation. Contrary to propaganda from the gun lobby, efforts to limit gun access and improve gun safety regulation does not infringe on the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners. Each of us has a stake in preventing school shootings. Maybe, if we actually think about “when it happens here”, we will take the collective action necessary to prevent it from happening here.
Sources:
CNN: School shootings in the US: Fast facts
NBC: Trump tells supporters ‘we have to get over it’ after Iowa ..
Sandy Hook Promise: 17 Facts About Gun Violence And School Shootings
FBI.gov: FBI Releases 2023 Active Shooter Incidents in the United States
Center For Disease Control & Prevention: Fast Facts: Firearm Injury and Death
Ani DiFranco – To The Teeth
For More Information:
Sandy Hook Promise: Preventing Gun Violence
Every Town Research & Policy: How Can We Prevent Gun Violence in American Schools?
Center For American Progress: Community-Based Strategies To Reduce Gun Violence
