School shootings have been a major problem in United States for as long as we can remember. The first school shooting, in fact, is older than America It took place in 1764 when four Le nape warriors shot a Pennsylvania teacher in front of his students. (Student Activism) Since then, motives have varied, but the effect has always been similarly grim. In 1853, a student in Kentucky shot and killed a teacher for punishing his brother. In 1891, a 70-year-old man fired a shotgun at students at a school playground in New burgh, NY. In 1946 a 15-year-old student was shot in the basement of his Brooklyn school by "seven thugs." School shootings, in short, are not a new phenomenon, and have occurred with relative frequency since before the Civil War. (The Christian Science Monitor)
The problem, certainly, has gotten worse with the rise of semiautomatic weapons. A scan of newspaper headlines reveals that prior to their proliferation, multiple fatalities in school shootings were a rarity. In 1917, for instance, a young man shot and killed a high school student. But according to The New York Times reporter covering the story, he had no opportunity to reload his weapon and had to use “some pieces of old iron” to fight through the crowd and make his escape. (The Christian Science Monitor) Because of the gun shootings in schools, CA schools could arm teachers, principals and even janitors if a republican bill proposed by a Southern California lawmaker is passed down. He said that this is the most effective bill among the 20 others about gun violence. (Huffington Post LA)
Reading about all these gun shootings that have happened in the past, I think that it has been something that can never fully be stopped. But there are many things that we can do to decrease it like giving accessible, high quality, culturally competent and widely accessed mental health treatment. I think that the fact that a Republican is considering giving every teacher a gun for protection in California is the most stupid thing I've ever heard.(Student Activism) In my opinion, people should educate the country and have good health programs so that it can be prevented. Also they should have better security systems at schools and have more drills so that everyone can be aware of what to do if something ever happens.Some people go against background checks but I think that it is the best idea to decrease mentally disturbed killers. But most of all I think that there should be some kind of gun awareness program so that people will realize that this is something that should not be taken lightly.
Bibliography
Schneider Jack, "Long history of US school shootings means Obama is right, NRA is wrong." The Christian Science Monitor 01/16/2013
<http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2013/0116/Long-history-of-US-school-shootings-means-Obama-is-right-NRA-is-wrong>
Johnston Angus, "Gun Violence in American Schools Is Nothing New." Student Activism
12/14/2012
<http://studentactivism.net/2012/12/14/gun-violence-in-american-schools-is-nothing-new/>
"AB 202: CA Schools Could Arm Teachers, Principals, Janitors If Republican Bill Passes." Huffington Post LA 01/31/2013
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/31/ab-202-ca-schools-arm-teachers-republican-bill_n_2591476.html>
The problem, certainly, has gotten worse with the rise of semiautomatic weapons. A scan of newspaper headlines reveals that prior to their proliferation, multiple fatalities in school shootings were a rarity. In 1917, for instance, a young man shot and killed a high school student. But according to The New York Times reporter covering the story, he had no opportunity to reload his weapon and had to use “some pieces of old iron” to fight through the crowd and make his escape. (The Christian Science Monitor) Because of the gun shootings in schools, CA schools could arm teachers, principals and even janitors if a republican bill proposed by a Southern California lawmaker is passed down. He said that this is the most effective bill among the 20 others about gun violence. (Huffington Post LA)
Reading about all these gun shootings that have happened in the past, I think that it has been something that can never fully be stopped. But there are many things that we can do to decrease it like giving accessible, high quality, culturally competent and widely accessed mental health treatment. I think that the fact that a Republican is considering giving every teacher a gun for protection in California is the most stupid thing I've ever heard.(Student Activism) In my opinion, people should educate the country and have good health programs so that it can be prevented. Also they should have better security systems at schools and have more drills so that everyone can be aware of what to do if something ever happens.Some people go against background checks but I think that it is the best idea to decrease mentally disturbed killers. But most of all I think that there should be some kind of gun awareness program so that people will realize that this is something that should not be taken lightly.
Bibliography
Schneider Jack, "Long history of US school shootings means Obama is right, NRA is wrong." The Christian Science Monitor 01/16/2013
<http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2013/0116/Long-history-of-US-school-shootings-means-Obama-is-right-NRA-is-wrong>
Johnston Angus, "Gun Violence in American Schools Is Nothing New." Student Activism
12/14/2012
<http://studentactivism.net/2012/12/14/gun-violence-in-american-schools-is-nothing-new/>
"AB 202: CA Schools Could Arm Teachers, Principals, Janitors If Republican Bill Passes." Huffington Post LA 01/31/2013
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/31/ab-202-ca-schools-arm-teachers-republican-bill_n_2591476.html>