School Violence and Guns Violence

School Violence and Guns Violence

Introduction

Extreme acts of violence committed by children and young adults grab national headlines and the public eye. Violent school shootings, such as the tragedies in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Columbine high school in Littleton, Colorado, and at the Red Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota, garner media, political, and public attention. These serious forms of violence are actually exceptionally rare at schools, but there are many more common forms of youth violence that do not involve firing a gun. These acts of violence, though not as high profile or attention grabbing, are no less significant. Youth violence, particularly violence on school grounds, is a continuum, ranging anywhere from bullying and teasing to more extreme homicides and school shootings. Managing and preventing more common forms of youth violence are equally important in remedying and reducing violence that interrupts America's educational goals.

Discussion

School violence does not simply threaten students; it also impacts teachers and staff, parents, and anyone involved in the daily functioning of schools. One widely cited definition of school violence is a research-based perspective developed by the Center for the Prevention of School Violence that categorizes behaviors as violent if they violate one of three criteria. That is, school violence is any behavior that (1) goes against the school's educational mission, (2) violates the school's climate of respect, or (3) jeopardizes the school's ability to be free of aggression against persons or property, and free of drugs, weapons, disruptions, and disorder. This broad-scale definition of violence is useful in designing and implementing preventative strategies, but is too large an undertaking for a single discussion on school violence. Therefore, the definition of violence is here limited to interpersonal criminal acts or aggressive behaviors committed by elementary, middle school (junior high), and senior high school students that inhibit student development as well as harm the school climate (JHSPH, 2013). Though such school violence typically refers to violence against other students, it also encompasses acts against teachers, school staff, or other persons at the school.

Historical Events

Schools have historically been considered sanctuaries from the violence that occurs on the streets and in homes, and the vast majority of parents are not fearful for their children at school, but an epidemic rise in violence on school grounds in the 1990s brought considerable attention to the issue and the realization that schools are no longer safe havens from violent crime. After the Columbine shooting, a national Gallup poll revealed that two-thirds of Americans felt that a similar incident would be “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to occur in their neighborhood. At the same time, an increasing proportion of students began reporting feeling unsafe at school and when traveling to and from school, and one in five students stayed home from school because of violence-related fears. The causes of school violence are numerous—including psychological, social, and familial origins—and there is a vigorous debate about how to reduce and prevent future violence. Responses to violence tend toward the punitive “get tough” policies, but opponents ...