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Mass Shootings in Schools

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Mass Shootings in Schools

Concerns have been expressed regarding the safety of our schools, the mental health of

the persons involved, and the role that the media plays in perpetuating the problem due to the rise

in mass shootings in schools throughout the United States. To find a solution to this problem and

satisfy the requirements of this essay. Because they are how the crimes are committed, firearms

significantly impact the incidence of mass shootings in schools. Even if firearms are not the

underlying cause of these senseless catastrophes, they are how the perpetrators of these atrocities

can carry them out. Therefore, the first step in addressing this problem should be restricting

people's ability to purchase guns, particularly assault rifles (Fitting, 2019). This might be

accomplished by implementing more stringent background checks, increasing the minimum age

limit for acquiring firearms, and prohibiting large-capacity magazines.

The shooters in major school shootings almost always have a diagnosable mental

condition, making mental health the second most crucial factor in determining whether a

shooting occurs. This indicates that a more significant focus has to be placed on recognizing and

treating mental health disorders to reduce the likelihood of similar atrocities happening in the

future. This might be accomplished through increasing financing for mental health services,

implementing mental health screening programs in more successful schools, and increasing

access to mental health resources in underserved regions. Because it is the primary means of

protection against incidents of this kind, security has been ranked as the third most important

factor in school mass shootings (Fitting, 2019). Some of the improved safety measures that

schools need to invest in to protect their students are metal detectors, surveillance cameras, and

increased training for school employees on how to react to active shooter scenarios. Schools
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should also develop improved procedures for fleeing the building and taking refuge in an

emergency.

The relationship between a child and his or her parents is the fourth most important factor

in determining whether or not there will be a mass shooting at a school. This is because most

mass school shooters have a troubled home life. This indicates that parents need to keep a closer

eye on their children's mental health and take appropriate action if they see any indicators of their

children's distress. In addition, parents should take a more active role in their children's lives to

offer their offspring the necessary direction and support. It has been used to both celebrate and

promote crimes of this kind, the media and social media have been ranked as the fifth most

significant component in mass school shootings. This indicates that news organizations need to

be more cautious in their coverage of these events and should be mindful of the possible

repercussions that might result from the reporting they do (Schweit, 2021). In addition, firms that

operate social media platforms need to assume greater responsibility for the material published

on such platforms and take measures to thwart the dissemination of false information and hate

speech.

Political polarization is the sixth most crucial variable in mass school shootings because

it has created a poisonous climate in which these catastrophes are more likely to occur. This is

why political polarization is the sixth most influential variable in mass school shootings. This

indicates that the political dialogue has to be more respectful of others' opinions and courteous if

there is to be any hope of creating an environment conducive to understanding and compromise.

In addition, public leaders need to collaborate in order to establish laws that will address the

underlying problems that have led to these tragedies. It has been a contributing element to why

some individuals resort to violence, and bullying has been ranked as the ninth most significant
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variable in mass shootings that have occurred in schools (Newman & Hartman, 2019). This

indicates that schools need to take the issue of bullying more seriously and establish programs

that encourage kids to understand and appreciate one another. In addition, parents need to be

aware of any potential warning signs of bullying that may be experienced by their children and to

take appropriate action, if necessary.

Abuse in the family is the eighth most crucial variable in mass school shootings because

it may be a contributing reason why some individuals resort to violence. Finally, abuse in the

home is the ninth most influential variable in mass school shootings. This indicates that it is

critical for parents to keep an eye out for any warning signals that their children may be

subjected to abuse and to take appropriate action in response, if necessary. In addition, it is

essential for communities and schools to be aware of the warning signs of child abuse and to take

appropriate action if they see any of these indicators.

In order to effectively address the problem of mass shootings at schools, it is essential to

zero in first on the factors that have the most significant impact. This indicates that the first move

should be to tighten restrictions on access to weapons, expand the availability of mental health

treatments, make investments in improved safety measures, and become more conscious of the

warning signals of abuse and bullying (Schweit, 2021). In addition to this, it is necessary to

develop a political discourse that is more polite, and it is essential for media outlets to

demonstrate more responsibility in their reporting. Through the implementation of these

measures, we will be able to provide a more secure setting for our children and forestall the

occurrence of similar tragedies.

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References

Fitting, R. (2019). Active shooter response options and implementation recommendations for

school districts.

Newman, B. J., & Hartman, T. K. (2019). Mass shootings and public support for gun

control. British Journal of Political Science, 49(4), 1527–1553.

Schweit, K. (2021). Stop the Killing: How to End the Mass Shooting Crisis. Rowman &

Littlefield.