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The recent US school shootings have shocked and terrorized the entire community, arousing concerns over growing violence among teenage students and sparking debates over school safety and gun controls. This wave of school aggression has prompted a string of academic studies on the causes of stress, depression, and violence in young people. Although two of the recent school shootings were committed by outsiders coming into schools, academic studies are focusing on the growing student-on-student violence in American schools.
In the span of a week, three deadly school attacks took the lives of a handful of young students and a principal, wounded a few others, and traumatized thousands of other students, teachers, and family members across the country.
In Colorado, a 52-year-old man took six female high school students hostage, molested them, and fatally shot one of them before killing himself. Days later, an armed 15-year-old at a Wisconsin school killed the school's principal. These two shootings were then followed by another bloodier and crueler attack from a gunman who attacked an Amish school in Pennsylvania, which killed five girls between the ages of 6 and 16, and wounded others before committing suicide.
On the heels of these three attacks, a bomb threat shut down an entire Virginia school district, canceling classes for more than 7,000 students in eight public schools as well as hundreds of religious schools and child care centers in the same area.
Reminders of Columbine
This wave of US school violence reminds us of the Colorado Columbine High School shooting in 1999, when two teenage students armed themselves with assault rifles, handguns, and home-made bombs and walked through their high school firing on their school mates and teachers. Twelve students and a teacher were killed, and 23 others were wounded before the two shooters took their own lives. It was one of the bloodiest episodes in US history, and one of a dozen shootings in schools during an 18-month period.
School Environment
Research suggests that violence in schools derives mainly from factors external to schools, but may be precipitated or aggravated by the school environment. This confirms that violence may begin when schools and school groups stereotype, judge, marginalize, and exclude other people. Studies have shown that impulsivity, learning difficulties, low IQ, or fearlessness can make someone prone to violence. Student assaults on other students are the most frequent type of violence reported in schools.
A suicide note left by Eric Harris, one of the two perpetrators of the Columbine shootings, may support this suggestion. Harris clearly regarded himself as a victim when he said "By now, it is over. If you are reading this, my mission is complete. ... Your children who have ridiculed me, who have chosen not to accept me, who have treated me like I am not worth their time are dead."
"Surely you will try to blame it on the clothes I wear, the music I listen to, or the way I choose to present myself, but no. Do not hide behind my choices. You need to face the fact that this comes as a result of YOUR CHOICES" (Angelfire).
External Factors
However, school environment is not the only factor that feeds violence and
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According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control:
In 2003, 5,570 young people ages 10 to 24 were murdered — an average of 15 each day. Of these victims, 82 percent were killed with firearms (CDC 2006).
In 2004, more than 750,000 young people ages 10 to 24 were treated in emergency departments for injuries sustained due to violence (CDC 2006).
In a nationwide survey of high school students (CDC 2004):
33 percent reported being in a physical fight one or more times in the 12 months preceding the survey. 17 percent reported carrying a weapon (gun, knife, or club) on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.
An estimated 30 percent of 6th to 10th graders in the United States were involved in bullying as a bully, a target of bullying, or both
(Nansel et al. 2001).
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aggressive behavior. Psychologists suggest that helping children to learn more appropriate behaviors requires a close look at institutional practices, public policies, and media programming that perpetuate violent attitudes, images, and behaviors.
Easy access to weapons. In recent years, weapon carrying by students in schools has become a growing source of threat and violence. Advocates of wider gun controls argue that the availability of guns has made it easier for people to commit murder in schools. They believe that a criminal background check should be done on every gun or firearm purchase. "It is extremely easy whether you are a juvenile or a convicted felon or a domestic abuser to purchase a firearm legally or illegally," Peter Hamm of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence told Reuters.
A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1995) found that nearly one-fourth of students nationwide had carried a weapon to school during the month preceding the survey.
Heavy exposure to media violence. When violence and sexual aggression are combined in the media, in song lyrics, in multimedia computer games, and in the vernacular, violent behavior is being taught. Studies have concluded that heavy exposure to TV violence is one of the significant causes of violence in society and that sexual violence in X- and R-rated videotapes widely available to teenagers has been shown to intensify male violent behavior against females. Research suggests that this televised violence increases viewers' fear and mistrust of others and subsequently increases their appetite to become involved with violence to protect themselves and to get their desired commodities through violence.
General society's violence. For many experts and psychologists, the increase of violence in and around schools is a natural result of the sharp increase of violence in the general society. The US schools violence problem is bigger than reported because of the high incidence of bullying and hitting. Sexual offenses and shootings are just an extreme form of that violence.
Although high-profile school shootings have increased public concern for student safety, school-associated violent deaths account for less than 1 percent of homicides among school-aged children and youth.
Signs of Violence
According to psychologists, violence is not inherited because it is a learned behavior and not caused by a gene. It could be learned at an early age at home or the community, from family, peer groups, or friends. The home is the most fertile breeding place for violence. The more children witness violent acts at home, the more likely they grow up to become more aggressive and more involved in violence. Studies also show that some parents could indirectly teach aggressive behavior to their children by encouraging them to be bullies or to fight back on the playground, and by providing them with toy guns and other weapons.
However, educators and families can increase their ability to recognize early warning signs by establishing close, caring, and supportive relationships with their children and youth. It is not always possible to predict behavior that will lead to violence, but studies suggest that these warning signs, especially when they are presented in combination, indicate a need for further analysis to determine an appropriate intervention.
Social withdrawal. The complete withdrawal of some children from social contacts is considered a warning sign.
Excessive feelings of rejection. While growing up, some aggressive children who are rejected by nonaggressive peers seek out aggressive friends who, in turn, reinforce their violent tendencies.
Violence victimization. Children who have been victimized by violence at home, school, or the community are at more risk to become violent toward themselves or others.
Feelings of being picked on and persecuted. Youths who continuously feel picked on, teased, bullied, singled out for ridicule, and humiliated at home or at school may subsequently withdraw socially. This may lead to aggressive behavior if they are not given adequate support in addressing these feelings.
Expression of violence in writings and drawings. Many children produce work about violent themes that for the most part is harmless when taken in context.
History of discipline problems, past history of violent behavior, membership in hate groups, inappropriate access to firearms, and threats of violence may indicate signs of aggressive behavior in youths against themselves or others unless they are provided with support and counseling.
The growing violence among youths is threatening the entire US society and not only the shooting victims. Everyone feels that it is time for parents, educators, and all American institutions to take effective actions to fight early violence among young children and preadolescents before the incidence of aggression increases.
Sources:
Angelfire. "Eric Harris' suicide note" and "Excerpts from Eric's website diary" Last Accessed 31st Oct. 2006
"Is Youth Violence Just Another Fact of Life?" American Psychological Association Public Policy Office. 1996. Last accessed 30 Oct. 2006.
"Youth Violence: Fact Sheet." National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Centers for Disease Control and Preventions. Last accessed 30 Oct. 2006.
"Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General." Office of the Surgeon General. US Department of Health and Human Services. Last accessed 30 Oct. 2006.
Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence:"Youth Violence: A Public Health Concern." CSPV School Violence Fact Sheets. , University of Colorado at Boulder. Last accessed 30 Oct. 2006.
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