Gun Violence of America reported that 971 school shooting incidents occurred in 2024 alone. The public schools in the United States are not apt to continue operating regularly with current measures in the face of threats. Therefore, significant changes should be made to current school safety measures, such as gun regulations and the availability of mental health resources for students.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, from 2000 to 2022, there were 328 total casualties from active shooter incidents at elementary and secondary schools. The number of people left dead or facing serious injury from school shooting incidents in America is appalling. Even with the new rules and guidelines, such as House Bill 3, which requires every school under its jurisdiction to have at least one armed security guard, schools still aren’t safe. The bill provides every school district $15,000 to help cover the costs of whatever new security each district sees necessary. Not only have different districts reported that this money is not nearly enough to follow this new law, but the bill’s vagueness doesn’t provide any useful guidelines for Texas school districts to help protect their schools.
In addition, a lack of gun regulation directly contributes to a lack of safety in schools. One of the most significant issues with this subject is the easy access to firearms in individual households for youth. Everytown, a gun safety support fund, conducted a study that reported that around 40 percent of young people in the survey have “somewhat easy” access to a gun in their home. In addition, 21 percent stated that they could get access to a weapon very easily if they wanted to. This is a problem, as kids should not have access to guns in their households.
On top of this, the Texas State Law Library confirms that Texas no longer requires people to have a license to carry a handgun in the majority of public areas. This is concerning because it is getting increasingly easier to own and operate a handgun in the U.S., increasing the threat of school shootings and decreasing the safety of schools.
Not only do a lack of security measures and gun control contribute to the abundance of school shootings, but the absence of adequate mental health resources for students in schools is a major contributing factor. A study conducted by the National Library of Medicine highlights the link between mental illness and an increased number of gun violence incidents, further proving the point that poor mental health or unstable home lives cause school shootings.
Although school shootings, safety measures in schools, and mental health resources may seem complicated and almost impossible issues to solve, there are simple solutions to help mitigate the issue of school shootings. For example, improving safety in schools can include more strict, serious active shooter drills. The majority of drills here at LASA are rarely taken seriously by the student body, and many students slowly saunter out of the hallway to take advantage of the opportunity to get out of regularly scheduled classes rather than consider the importance of an active shooter drill. Something as simple as an announcement over the intercom about specific instructions and helpful reminders or guidelines for students to keep in mind during the drill could help alleviate this problem.
Additionally, the Supreme Court should seriously consider a ban on bump stocks or gun attachments that significantly reduce firing time by capturing the energy from the kickback. These bump stocks increase the effect of the gun by allowing the shooter to fire more shots per second, which increases their danger.
To address the mental health issue and its influence on school shootings, more professional counseling staff should be funded by the government and available to students at school. We are fortunate at LASA to have access to two wellness counselors ready to listen to and help students who are struggling. However, the reality that school districts do not have funds to supply the most at-risk schools is still an issue that needs to be addressed.
Although all of these solutions will drastically help the school shooting issue in America, some U.S. citizens believe that incorporating gun regulations into our government is an active infringement upon the rights of citizens outlined in the Second Amendment of the Constitution. However, the Second Amendment was created to allow Americans to protect themselves from threats from British forces because the war between the U.S. and Britain did not officially end until 24 years after it was written.
In the 2008 court case, District of Columbia vs. Heller, local police officer Dick Heller disagreed with the recently passed D.C. law that prevented individuals from using a handgun in their homes. In opposition to Heller’s case, Justice John Paul Stevens argued that the Second Amendment was written to protect a person’s right to a “well regulated Militia,” and not to preserve an individual’s right to own and operate a gun. This valued opinion from a Supreme Court Justice supports the idea that the Second Amendment should not be applied to an individual and does not fit within the context of modern-day America.
Schools are not safe enough. We need better safety measures in schools, better gun regulation, and mental health counseling for students to prioritize the institutions that provide the foundational knowledge and education necessary for fueling the future of America.
