Continued school shootings illustrate society’s lack of effort to help
Michigan State University shows rising needs for tighter security
Law enforcement is brought up with the debate of schools needing more security to prevent shootings. However, in the Columbine shooting there was security on site, and it was still a tragic massacre.
March 3, 2023
On Feb. 13, a mass shooting occurred at Michigan State University. The shooter, Anthony Dwayne McRae, was found about four miles northwest of campus.
Arielle Anderson, Alexandria Vernervand Brian Fraser are the names of the victims – but this isn’t the first school shooting this year. There have been 29 incidents with gunfire on school campuses since the year started.
Although students have drills to ensure safety during such a tragic event, such as lockdowns, students aren’t truly prepared for school shootings.
Students are told to hide in a corner and be quiet, but there have still been 589 fatalities from 1970 to 2013. A larger problem must be addressed.
Many schools across America have officers. However, in the Columbine High School shooting, an armed security guard was on scene, and it was still one of the deadliest shootings in American history. In a review of school shootings from 1974 to 2000, studies showed that more than 27% of school shootings weren’t stopped by law enforcement. In fact, it was stopped by faculty members, staff members and administrations.
Another analysis of school shootings showed that from 2013 to 2015, more than half of the attackers had brought the weapon from home. With that said, “arming” teachers wouldn’t do much and, if anything, raise the risk of a shooting on campus. A review by the FBI showed that out of 250 shooting incidents from 2000 to 2017, only seven cases had an armed civilian stop a shooting.
After more than 50 years of mass shootings, parents and students expect an effective solution. However, the issue is still prevalent. Schools are supposed to be a safe, educational facility, and no one should worry about being a victim of a shooting on campus.
If no one takes action now with stricter gun laws or tighter security on school grounds, there will be a continuous cycle of school shootings.
People mourn the deaths of victims, yet won’t take a stand to create a safer place, for not only schools, but public spaces in general. Society needs to self-reflect and realize how much impact these outbursts from attackers are truly affecting other’s lives.