thesis statement school shootings

School Shootings: Conceptual Framework and International Empirical Trends

• First Online: 01 January 2012

Cite this chapter

• Nils Böckler 5 ,
• Thorsten Seeger 6 ,
• Peter Sitzer 5 &
• Wilhelm Heitmeyer 6  

6513 Accesses

15 Citations

An exploration of the phenomenology and global prevalence of school shootings, also serving as an introduction outlining the conceptual framework of the volume. The central approaches and terminology of school rampage research are introduced. An empirical survey of global prevalence reveals international trends and fundamental characteristics of perpetrators and attacks. The findings show that school shootings are a historically growing phenomenon occurring predominantly in modern Western societies, committed overwhelmingly by male adolescents at secondary schools. The chapter concludes with an overview of the contributions in the volume outlining the specific perspectives of each author.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Schülein ( 1998 , p. 96, translated) identifies a number of central requirements for interdisciplinary cooperation that appear exceptionally relevant in this connection: “Interdisciplinarity demands the capability to transcend boundaries and to tolerate transgressions. In other words, to accept that there are other ways of seeing the world and that others may relativize that which is central to one’s own perspective.” Such dialog is worthwhile and potentially extremely fruitful because innovative ideas and research activities can arise specifically out of controversy and interdisciplinary exchange (Dornes 2007 ). This observation can also be regarded as the motto for this book, which brings together authors from different countries, professions, and scientific disciplines to present their specific perspectives and findings for discussion.

Interestingly, more recent empirical research shows that (rampage) school shootings frequently mingle individual motives (such as personal revenge for experiences of humiliation) with ideological and political motivations, creating a complex set of motives that is not always clear-cut (Larkin 2009 ; Böckler and Seeger 2010 ; Muschert and Ragnedda 2010 ).

Note that this criterion excludes incidents committed by individuals who are not current or former students of the institution. Such cases are classified as general “classical rampage” (or, if the perpetrator is a teacher or other member of school staff, as “workplace violence”).

“Rampage” derives from the verb “to ramp,” meaning “rage, storm, rush about” ( Pocket Oxford Dictionary , 1978). Similarly the German term for rampage attack, “Amok,” originates etymologically from the Malay “amuk” meaning “frenzied” or “attacking furiously” (also the origin of the English term “to run amok”). The related Malay verb “mengamuk” designates a spontaneous violent attack on random victims (Faust 2007 ).

A serious methodological problem of data collection arises here. In many cases, the perpetrator’s exact motives are almost impossible to reconstruct reliably from media reports, making scientific quality criteria of reliability and validity hard to fulfill.

One central weakness of this operationalization is certainly its broad focus, encompassing cases that were long planned and involved a large number of victims (such as Columbine, Erfurt, or Blacksburg) alongside incidents of violence that occurred in affect and more or less spontaneously with a significantly smaller number of victims (e.g., Pinellas Park or the Campbell County High School shooting). To what extent these different constellations are based on similar socio- and psycho-dynamics is a matter for further research.

The following sources also turned out to be very useful: the National School Safety Center’s school-associated deaths database (United States; lists only cases since 1992), the privately-run website www.columbine-angels.com , and the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Information from the latter two sources was included only if confirmed elsewhere (newspaper reports, etc.).

2000s: Figures for 2001–2010.

Placing the number of school shootings in relation to the total student population further relativizes the findings and shows them in a more realistic light. For example, there were about 11.7 million students at general and vocational schools in Germany in 2009/2010 (Statistisches Bundesamt 2010 ), and two recorded school rampage attacks in 2009, putting the percentage of perpetrators in the school population at 0.07%.

Muschert and Peguero ( 2010 , p. 119) refer to a “Columbine effect”: “a term that refers to how school rampage shootings change the way we think about school violence and security.”

Nevertheless, the probability of a child or adolescent being killed in a school shooting remains minuscule. In the United States, as the country with by far the largest number of cases, less than 1% of murders of young people aged between 5 and 18 years occur in the school context (Modzeleski et al. 2008 ).

This underlines the absence of a specific profile of attack or perpetrator (O’Toole 1999 ; Vossekuil et al. 2002 ; Borum et al. 2010 ). Instead, cases must be regarded as heterogeneous and subjected to accordingly differentiated analysis (Hoffmann 2007 ; Scheithauer and Bondü 2011 ). Using the empirical data, it may prove possible to develop subtypes or a typology of incidents and perpetrators (see also Langman in this volume).

Three of the 120 recorded incidents involved two perpetrators.

The age of 7 of the 123 perpetrators could not be ascertained. One was just 11 years old.

Empirical findings to date suggest that most school shooters were academically good or very good at school. According to Vossekuil et al. ( 2002 ), only 5% were failing in advance of their attacks. This says nothing, however, about subjective experience of pressure to achieve that perpetrators may have found stressful or burdensome. Heitmeyer ( 2002 ) points out that adolescents from prosperous and achievement-orientated backgrounds are often under considerable parental pressure to at least maintain the social status of their family (see also Heitmeyer et al. 1998 ). School shooters generally come from white middle-class families that are lacking in support and emotional recognition (McGee and DeBernardo 1999 ; O’Toole 1999 ; Fast 2008 ). These observations suggest that further research on perpetrators’ family relationships would also be worthwhile.

Bannenberg, B. (2007). So genannte Amokfälle. Forschungsmagazin der Universität Bielefeld, 30 , 36–40.

Google Scholar  

Baumert, J., Watermann, R., & Schümer, G. (2003). Disparitäten der Bildungsbeteiligung und des Kompetenzerwerbs: Ein institutionelles und individuelles Mediationsmodell. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft, 6 (1), 46–71.

Article   Google Scholar  

Böckler, N., & Seeger, T. (2010). Schulamokläufer: Eine Analyse medialer Täter-Eigendarstellungen und deren Aneignung durch jugendliche Rezipienten . Weinheim & Munich: Juventa.

Böckler, N., Seeger, T., & Heitmeyer, W. (2010). School shooting: A double loss of control. In W. Heitmeyer, H.-G. Haupt, A. Kirschner, & S. Malthaner (Eds.), Control of violence: Historical and international perspectives on violence in modern societies (pp. 261–294). New York: Springer.

Böckler, N., Seeger, T., & Sitzer, P. (2012). Media dynamics in school shootings: a socialization theory perspective. In G. W. Muschert & J. Sumiala (Eds.), School shootings: Mediatized violence in a global age (pp. 25–46). Bingley: Emerald.

Bondü, R., Meixner, S., Bull, H. D., Robertz, F. J., & Scheithauer, H. (2008). Schwere, zielgerichtete Schulgewalt: School Shootings und “Amokläufe”. In H. Scheithauer, T. Hayer, & K. Niebank (Eds.), Problemverhalten und Gewalt im Jugendalter: Erscheinungsformen, Entstehungsbedingungen und Möglichkeiten der Prävention (pp. 86–98). Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.

Bondü, R., & Scheithauer, H. (2010). Explaining and preventing school shootings: Chances and difficulties of control. In W. Heitmeyer, H. G. Haupt, S. Malthaner, & A. Kirschner (Eds.), Control of violence: Historical and international perspectives on violence in modern societies (pp. 295–314). New York: Springer.

Borum, R., Cornell, D., Modzeleski, W., & Jimerson, S. R. (2010). What can be done about school shootings? A review of the evidence. Educational Researcher, 39 (1), 27–37.

Brooks, K., Schiraldi, V., & Ziedenberg, J. (2000). School house hype: Two years later . Washington, DC, & Covington, KY: Justice Policy Institute & Children’s Law Center.

Donohue, E., Schiraldi, V., & Ziedenberg, J. (1998). School house hype: The school shootings, and the real risks kids face in America . Washington, DC: The Justice Policy Institute.

Dornes, M. (2007). Die emotionale Welt des Kindes (5th ed.). Frankfurt am Main: Fischer.

Fast, J. (2008). Ceremonial violence: A psychological explanation of school shootings . New York: Overlook.

Faust, V. (2007). Amok. Psychiatrie heute: Seelische Störungen erkennen, verstehen, verhindern, behandeln. Retrived June 12, 2012 from http://psychosoziale-gesundheit.net/pdf/amok_faust.pdf .

Fein, R. A., Vossekuil, B., Pollack, W. S., Borum, R., Modzeleski, W., & Reddy, M. (2002). Threat assessment in schools: A guide to managing threatening situations and creating safe school climates . Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program and U.S. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center.

Frymer, B. (2009). The media spectacle of Columbine: Alienated youth as an object of fear. American Behavioral Scientist, 52 (10), 1387–1404.

Gasser, K. H., Creutzfeld, M., Naher, M., Rainer, R., & Wickler, P. (2004). Bericht der Kommission Gutenberg-Gymnasium . Erfurt, Germany: Freistaat Thüringen.

Harding, D. J., Fox, C., & Mehta, J. (2002). Studying rare events through qualitative case studies: Lessons from a study of rampage school shootings. Sociological Methods & Research, 31 (2), 174–217.

Heitmeyer, W. (2002). Soziale Desintegration, Anerkennungszerfall und Jugendgewalt in Deutschland. In S. Kreitz-Sandberg (Ed.), Jugendliche in Japan und Deutschland: Soziale Integration im Vergleich (pp. 202–226). Opladen: Leske  +  Budrich.

Heitmeyer, W., Collmann, B., & Conrads, J. (1998). Gewalt: Schattenseiten der Individualisierung bei Jugendlichen aus unterschiedlichen Milieus (3d ed.). Weinheim & Munich: Juventa.

Henry, S. (2009). School violence beyond Columbine: A complex problem in need of an interdisciplinary analysis. American Behavioral Scientist, 52 (9), 1246–1265.

Heubrock, D., Hayer, T., Rusch, S., & Scheithauer, H. (2005). Prävention von schwerer zielgerichteter Gewalt an Schulen – Rechtspsychologische und kriminalpräventive Ansätze. Polizei & Wissenschaft, 1 , 43–57.

Hoffmann, J. (2007). Tödliche Verzweiflung—der Weg zu zielgerichteten Gewalttaten an Schulen. In J. Hoffmann & I. Wondrak (Eds.), Amok und zielgerichtete Gewalt an Schulen: Früherkennung/Risikomanagement/Kriseneinsatz/Nachbetreuungt (pp. 25–34). Frankfurt am Main: Polizeiwissenschaft.

Hoffmann, J., Roshdi, K., & Robertz, F. J. (2009). Zielgerichtete schwere Gewalt und Amok an Schulen – eine empirische Studie zur Prävention schwerer Gewalttaten. Kriminalistik, 4 , 196–204.

Holmes, R. M., & Holmes, S. T. (1998). Serial murder (2d ed.). New Delhi: Sage.

Imbusch, P. (2006). Terrorismus. In W. Heitmeyer & M. Schroettle (Eds.), Gewalt: Beschreibungen—Analysen—Prävention (pp. 487–510). Bonn: Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung.

Kelley, E., & May, D. (2011). Increases in school shootings: Reality or myth? International Journal of Sociological Research, 4 (1), 45–57.

Kellner, D. (2008). Guys and guns amok: Domestic terrorism and school shootings from the Oklahoma City bombings to the Virginia Tech massacre . Boulder, CO: Paradigm.

Kidd, S. T., & Meyer, C. L. (2002). Similarities of school shootings in rural and small communities. Journal of Rural Community Psychology, E5 (1). Retrieved June 12, 2012 from http://www.marshall.edu/jrcp/sp2002/similarities_of_school_shootings.htm .

Kiilakoski, T., & Oksanen, A. (2011). Soundtrack of the school shootings: Cultural script, music and male rage. Young: Nordic Journal of Youth Research, 19 (3), 247–269.

Larkin, R. W. (2007). Comprehending Columbine . Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

Larkin, R. W. (2009). The Columbine legacy: Rampage shootings as political acts. American Behavioral Scientist, 52 (9), 1309–1326.

Leary, M. R., Kowalski, R. M., Smith, L., & Phillips, S. (2003). Teasing, rejection, and violence: Case studies of the school shootings. Aggressive Behavior, 29 , 202–214.

Levin, J., & Madfis, E. (2009). Mass murder at school and cumulative strain: A sequential model. American Behavioral Scientist, 52 (9), 1227–1245.

Lindgren, S. (2011). YouTube gunmen? Mapping participatory media discourse on school shooting videos. Media, Culture & Society, 33 (1), 1–14.

McGee, J. P., & DeBernardo, C. R. (1999). The classroom avenger. Forensic Examiner, 8 , 1–16.

Modzeleski, W., Feucht, T., Rand, M., Hall, J., Simon, T., Butler, L., & Hertz, M. (2008). School-associated student homicides – United States, 1992–2006. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 57 (2), 33–36.

Moore, M. H., Petrie, C. V., Braga, A. A., & McLaughlin, B. L. (Eds.). (2003). Deadly lessons: Understanding lethal school violence . Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Morton, R. J. (2008). Serial murder: Multi-disciplinary perspectives for investigators . Quantico, VA: Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Muschert, G. W. (2007). Research in school shootings. Sociology Compass, 1 (1), 60–80.

Muschert, G. W. (2009). Frame-changing in the media coverage of a school shooting: The rise of Columbine as a national concern. The Social Science Journal, 46 (1), 164–170.

Muschert, G. W., & Larkin, R. W. (2007). The Columbine High School shootings. In S. Chermak & F. Y. Bailey (Eds.), Crimes and trials of the century (Vol. 2, pp. 253–266). Westport, CT: Greenwood.

Muschert, G. W., & Peguero, A. A. (2010). The Columbine effect and school antiviolence policy. In M. Peyrot & S. L. Burns (Eds.), New approaches to social problems treatment (Research in Social Problems and Public Policy) (pp, Vol. 17, pp. 117–148). Bingley: Emerald.

Muschert, G. W., & Ragnedda, M. (2010). Media and control of violence: Communication in school shootings. In W. Heitmeyer, H.-G. Haupt, A. Kirschner, & S. Malthaner (Eds.), Control of violence: Historical and international perspectives on violence in modern societies (pp. 345–361). New York: Springer.

Newman, K. S., Fox, C., Harding, D. J., Mehta, J., & Roth, W. (2004). Rampage: The social roots of school shootings . New York: Basic.

O’Toole, M. E. (1999). The school shooter: A threat assessment perspective . Quantico, VA: Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Perry, T. (1997). Ex-San Diego State student pleads guilty to murdering 3 professors. Los Angeles Times . Retrieved May 28, 2012 from http://articles.latimes.com/1997-05-28/news/mn-63111_1_san-diego-state .

Robertz, F. J. (2004). School Shootings: Über die Relevanz der Phantasie für die Begehung von Mehrfachtötungen durch Jugendliche . Frankfurt am Main: Polizeiwissenschaft.

Robertz, F. J., & Wickenhäuser, R. (2007). Der Riss in der Tafel: Amoklauf und schwere Gewalt in der Schule . Heidelberg: Springer.

Rugala, E. A. (Ed.). (2004). Workplace violence: Issues in response . Quantico, VA: Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Scheithauer, H., & Bondü, R. (2008). Amoklauf: Wissen was stimmt . Freiburg, Basel, & Vienna: Herder.

Scheithauer, H., & Bondü, R. (2011). Amokläufe und School Shooting: Bedeutung, Hintergründe und Prävention . Göttingen: Vandenhoek & Ruprecht.

Scheithauer, H., Bondü, R., Meixner, S., Bull, H. D., & Dölitzsch, C. (2008). Sechs Jahre nach Erfurt – Das Berliner Leaking-Projekt: Ein Ansatz zur Prävention von School Shootings und Amokläufen an Schulen. Trauma & Gewalt, 2 , 2–13.

Schmidtke, A., Schaller, S., Müller, I., Lester, D., & Stack, S. (2002). Imitation von Amok und Amok-Suizid. Suizidprophylaxe, 29 , 97–106.

Schülein, J. A. (1998). Psychoanalyse und Soziologie oder: Das Unbehagen am Diskurs. Psychosozial, 72 , 111–120.

Statistisches Bundesamt. (2010). Anzahl der Schülerinnen und Schüler geht um 1,3% zurück. Pressemitteilung Nr. 105. Retrieved March 16, 2010 from https://www.destatis.de/DE/PresseService/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2010/03/PD10_105_211.html .

Sumiala, J., & Tikka, M. (2010). “Web first” to death: The media logic of the school shootings in the era of uncertainty. Nordicom Review, 31 (2), 17–29.

Verlinden, S., Hersen, M., & Thomas, J. (2000). Risk factors in school shootings. Clinical Psychology Review, 20 , 3–56.

Virginia Tech Review Panel. (2007). Mass shootings at Virginia Tech, April 16, 2007. Retrieved June 29, 2012 from http://www.governor.virginia.gov/TempContent/techPanelReport-docs/FullReport.pdf .

Vossekuil, B., Fein, R., Reddy, M., Borum, R., & Modzeleski, W. (2002). The final report and findings of the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the prevention of school attacks in the United States . Washington, DC: US Secret Service and US Department of Education.

Webber, J. A. (2003). Failure to hold: The politics of school violence . Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

Nils Böckler & Peter Sitzer

Faculty of Educational Science and Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

Thorsten Seeger & Wilhelm Heitmeyer

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nils Böckler .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

, Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Bielefeld, Universitaetsstrasse 25, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany

Nils Böckler

Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Bielefeld, Universitaetsstrasse 25, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany

Thorsten Seeger

University of Bielefeld, Universitätsstraße 25, Bielefeld, 33501, Germany

Peter Sitzer

Inst. Interdisziplinäre Konflikt- und, Gewaltforschung, University of Bielefeld, Universitätsstr. 25, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany

Wilhelm Heitmeyer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Böckler, N., Seeger, T., Sitzer, P., Heitmeyer, W. (2013). School Shootings: Conceptual Framework and International Empirical Trends. In: Böckler, N., Seeger, T., Sitzer, P., Heitmeyer, W. (eds) School Shootings. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5526-4_1

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5526-4_1

Published : 04 November 2012

Publisher Name : Springer, New York, NY

Print ISBN : 978-1-4614-5525-7

Online ISBN : 978-1-4614-5526-4

eBook Packages : Humanities, Social Sciences and Law Social Sciences (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

School Shooting and Firearms in the United States Essay

Introduction, causes of the problem, the impact of school shootings on the education system, the effects of mass media coverage on the prevalence of school shootings, legislations in response to school shootings, works cited.

In the context of the events that happened in the past two or three decades (such as the tragedy in Columbine), it is possible to state with certainty that school shootings appear to be one of the most prevalent and worrying social problems in the contemporary United States. Statistically, there is a gradual increase in the number of students killed in such mass shootings (see Fig. 1). One of the most recent school shootings that occurred on February 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida is mentioned by Katsiyannis et al. as the “deadliest U.S. school shooting to date,” and also the authors argue that it “serves as a powerful reminder that school violence is ever-present” (2562). The situation requires not only an immediate response but also long-term continuous work towards the improvement of the current situation is urgently needed. It is possible to state that school shootings in the United States are a highly complex social problem that impacts various spheres of social, political, and economic life in the country.

School shootings represent a highly important moral concern for the whole population of America. Such events, as they have occurred more frequently in the last decade, create an atmosphere of terror and uncertainty (Beland and Kim 113). It affects the educational system to a considerable degree (Beland and Kim 113). Another highly significant aspect of the problem is the involvement of mass media in the creation of such an atmosphere. However, the most evident reason for the prevalence of mass school shootings is the current firearm law, which provides the access to weapons to nearly everyone who has an intent to obtain it. The thesis statement of this argumentative essay could be formulated as follows: school shootings, as they are one of the most significant social problems in America in recent years, are subject to a profound discussion about the important aspects of this phenomenon to develop perspectives on possible solutions for the improvement of the issue.

First of all, it is essential to observe the causes of the problem to put further reasoning in the proper context. As it is evident from the brief overview of the situation given in the introduction, the issue under consideration has numerous underlying reasons, which often influence each other reciprocally (Katsiyannis et al. 2562). For example, Fox and DeLateur mentioned in their article that politicians, pundits, and professors of various disciplines had been promoting various proposals for change even before the Newtown’s Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which was considered to be “the final death toll” by the authors (126). Some of these stakeholders “talked about the role of guns, others about access to mental health services, and still more about the need for enhanced security in schools and other public places” (Fox and DeLateur 126). However, from a large-scale perspective, the most apparent problem is the availability of firearms caused by the current legislation.

Another highly important factor that influences the continuous occurrence of school shootings is the impact of mass media. It is possible to notice that, in the contemporary society, mass media, including television, newspapers, radio as well as the Internet and social media platforms, plays an immensely important role by providing the population with various information. It could be further suggested that mass media is capable of promoting ideas and behaviors. Since people are often not able to access the information about events, which are covered by various media platforms, they have to believe what is shown to them. Therefore, the media coverage of such events as school shootings, although it does not intend to praise or promote gun violence among teenagers and young people, could influence the promotion of mass shooting ideas indirectly. This factor will be later discussed in the separate section since it requires a profound examination.

It is also highly apparent that school shootings have a considerably negative impact on the contemporary education system. As was stated previously, school shootings have tended to happen more often in the past decade than it was in the 90s, and thus the atmosphere of terror, disbelief, and paranoia was established. It could be suggested that school students suffer the most from the occurrence of such events. People who were directly involved in school shootings as victims and survived this tragedy are traumatized significantly by this experience. The impact of such psychological, as well as physical, traumas could hardly be underestimated as it negatively influences nearly every sphere of the individual’s life. Accordingly, it is logical to assume that the student’s academic performance will be considerably aggravated by the traumatizing experience. Even though they were not directly traumatized by school shootings, people who were involved in such events could also be negatively affected, as they will fear for their lives or expect one of their classmates to be the next shooter. Therefore, this factor needs an additional investigation in the separate section.

The third factor that should be mentioned in the context of this discussion is the prevalence of mental illnesses and the current state of the United States healthcare system at large. One of the most significant problems in this area of concern is that mental disorders are largely stigmatized by society, especially among the children of school age (Metzl and MacLeish 240). People could be excluded from socializing based on their mental state. It could also be problematic for a teenager to access proper treatment for his or her mental illness, or an individual could consider his or her condition as something that does not need any medical or psychological treatment. Moreover, it is apparent from numerous cases that the majority of people involved in school shootings as shooters have troubles in the sphere of mental health at least to some extent (Metzl and MacLeish 240).

The correlation between the mental state of a person and the probability of him or her being involved in crimes is well-recognized and studied in contemporary academic literature. For example, Metzl and MacLeish assume that psychiatric diagnosis can predict gun crime, and also that school shootings “represent the deranged acts of mentally ill loners” (240). Also, Fox and Fridel mention the following typical characteristics of a mass shooter, which are often disregarded by the society and only come into focus with hindsight: “depression, resentment, social isolation, externalization of blame, fascination with weapons and violent entertainment, and even verbal or written expressions of hate or malice” (14). Therefore, it is essential to notice that people with mental illnesses, even though they should not be automatically considered as potential school shooters, are to be treated with special attention. In the majority of cases, people try to seek help to cope with the stress factors of their life which they do not know how to deal with alone.

At this point, it is evident that the mentioned factor could hardly be adequately estimated, evaluated, and analyzed separately. It is essential to perceive the causes of school shootings as a highly complex set of interdependent reasons that influence each other reciprocally. Therefore, the following sections will attempt to dwell upon the discussion of more particular aspects of the mentioned domains of the overall problem under consideration. Legislations in response to school shootings will be observed in the last part of this essay as they appear to be the key approach to a more stable and adequate situation. Therefore, it is essential to first observe the existing legislative acts, and then to propose possible solutions and improvement for the current situation to develop a comprehensive conclusion.

As was suggested previously, school shootings could have a vast impact on the academic performance of students and other school-related measures. The study by Beland and Kim is focused on this particular topic, as the authors argue that “the educational consequences of deadly school shootings on enrollment and student performance are not well known” even though this phenomenon is largely covered in media (113). The authors investigate a wide range of aspects that are affected by the occurrence of such events. Among these factors, it is possible to mention the following: enrollment patterns, negative changes in test scores in the subsequent year, as well as behavioral variables such as graduation, attendance, and suspension rates (Beland and Kim 113).

As a result of their study, the authors came to conclusions that are considerably similar to the previously developed premises about the impact of school shootings on the educational system. In general, the authors state that students are directly affected by shootings (Beland and Kim 124). In particular, it is possible to state that math and English standardized test results show a considerable decline after a shooting occurs at a school (Beland and Kim 123). Therefore, the previously formulated assumption about the traumatizing experience that negatively affects the students’ academic performance is true. Also, enrollment patterns change. In schools, which experienced a homicidal mass shooting, the number of people who enroll in Grade 9 drops considerably (Beland and Kim 123). However, the authors did find out that such events have no significant influence on such measures as suspension, graduation, or average daily attendance rates. In general, it is possible to observe that the magnitude of the problem of school shootings is immense.

In this section, the discussion is largely based on the phenomenon of mass media in the context of its vast impact on the prevalence and, indirectly, the promotion of mass school shootings. Regarding the issue of interest from a broader perspective, it is appropriate to observe that each school shooting is a tragedy, which repeatedly devastates communities and shakes public opinions (Garcia-Bernardo et al. 1). It is also apparent that such events are largely driven by personal intents and motivations, and also rarely there are apparent signals or precursors, and thus it is significantly difficult to predict a school shooting. Nevertheless, the study by Garcia-Bernardo et al. attempts to identify the role of the copycat effect in school shootings as well as the correlation between the amount of information about such an event provided by a mass media platform and the prevalence of the copycat effect.

One of the most principal findings made by Garcia-Bernardo et al. is the significance of the copycat effect in the context of school shootings investigation. As it is mentioned in the article, the interaction between attacks on schools “can be attributed to an acute ‘issue-attention cycle’ with the media reacting strongly to every attack” (Garcia-Bernardo et al. 5). The authors developed their conclusions based on the profound and very inclusive investigation of a large number of tweets since Twitter appears to be one of the most prevalent and diverse social media platforms/mass media. The authors also investigate FBI databases about school shootings. One of the principal findings of the study is that “social media publicity about school shootings correlates with an increase in the probability of new attacks” (Garcia-Bernardo et al. 6). The research is based on the use of a comprehensive mathematical theory, and thus it is possible to state with certainty that the results are reliable.

The Concept of Contagion in the Context of School Shootings

Another concept that should be mentioned in the context of the impact of mass media coverage on the probability of school shootings is contagion. The article by Towers et al. focuses on the implementation of the concept of contagion as a framework for analyzing the phenomenon of school shootings (see Fig. 2). The authors reinforce the findings of the article by Garcia-Bernardo et al., stating that “media reports of suicides and homicides appear to subsequently increase the incidence of similar events in the community” (Towers et al. 1). However, the originality of the approach by Towers et al. is that they use the contagion model to analyze how the occurrence of school shootings increases the probability of a similar event in the immediate future.

The findings of the study by Towers et al., as well as those of the article by Garcia-Bernardo et al., reinforce the assumption which was made in the causes section of this paper. Contemporary mass media appears to be a highly influencing force in terms of spreading ideas and creating a public opinion about various things. In the context of school shootings, Towers et al. suggest that the temporary increase in the probability of another shooting lasts for 13 days on average since the day of the antecedent shooting (1). Therefore, it could be concluded that the spreading of school shooting ideas is considerably similar to the process of contagion.

In the final section of the paper before the conclusion, it is essential to overview how the problem of school shootings is responded to by the current legislative acts and what could be possibly done to improve the situation. As it was mentioned several times previously, the importance of gun control is considered to be one of the most important aspects of decreasing the negative impact of mass shootings. This perspective is well-recognized in the contemporary academic literature. For example, studies by Kalesan et al., Katsiyannis et al., as well as Metzl and MacLeish indicate that the existing firearms laws are not significantly efficient in terms of preventing school shootings.

It is possible to assume that one of the most worrying aspects of the current firearm legislation is that there are few attempts to regulate the weapon ownership in households where children or teenagers can access these weapons. As it is mentioned by Schildkraut and Hernandez, Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter, obtained guns that had his mother (359). Other studies also exemplify similar circumstances that preceded other school shootings. Therefore, it is essential to propose that more strict and thorough rules of gun ownership, possession, and storage were created. Another problem, which is mentioned by Vlahov, is that there have been no government-sponsored studies on the issue of mass shootings since 1996 (293). Therefore, it is particularly difficult to estimate the potential efficiency of newly proposed gun laws. Accordingly, it is of high significance to create and promote a community-based and research-based firearm legislation agenda.

However, one of the most effective means of decreasing access to weapons and thus lowering the probability of school shootings is the implementation of background checks for those who wish to purchase weapons. For example, Kalesan et al. state that, as of 2013, only “14 out of the 50 states and District of Columbia had some form of background checks (BCs) for firearm purchase, out of which 5 states required BC for handgun purchases alone but not for long guns or assault weapons” (321). A considerable part of the article by Schildkraut and Hernandez is also dedicated to the discussion of background check legislation. The authors argue that even though such legislation exists, they often do not adequately work (Schildkraut and Hernandez 369). However, it is proven statistically that states with background check laws for firearm and ammunition purchases have lower school shooting incidence rates (Kalesan et al. 326). Therefore, it is essential to implement such legislation.

As to conclude on the conducted analysis, it is essential to restate the immense significance of the problem of school shootings for contemporary America. Considering the thesis statement of this paper, it is possible to extend it by observing that the phenomenon of school shootings is a highly complex set of factors and variables which influence each other reciprocally, and thus it is considerably difficult to predict and prevent such events. Nevertheless, several important arguments could be made to build a comprehensive conclusion on how to decrease the negative impact of the problem under discussion.

First of all, firearm legislation should be changed with the help of the government so that it would be more difficult for teenagers to access various weapons. This aspect of the proposed solution includes the creation of a community and research-based agenda, the implementation of more thorough background checks, and stricter regulation of the conditions of firearm possession. Secondly, it is argued that it is essential to pay more attention to the prevalence of mental illnesses and psychological problems, which are common among school students so that it would be easier to detect some mental health problems that would later lead to another school shooting. Thirdly, the role of mass media, which might increase the probability of a school shooting, should also be considered by policymakers and other stakeholders.

Beland, Louis-Philippe, and Dongwoo Kim. “The Effect of High School Shootings on Schools and Student Performance.” Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis , vol. 38, no. 1, 2016, pp. 113-126.

Fox, James Alan, and Emma E. Fridel. “The Tenuous Connections Involving Mass Shootings, Mental Illness, and Gun Laws.” Violence and Gender , vol. 3, no. 1, 2016, pp. 14-19.

Fox, James Alan, and Monica J. DeLateur. “Mass Shootings in America: Moving beyond Newtown.” Homicide Studies , vol. 18, no. 1, 2014, pp. 125-145.

Garcia-Bernardo, Javier, et al. “Social Media Affects the Timing, Location, and Severity of School Shootings.” Cornell University Library ,Web.

Kalesan, Bindu, et al. “School Shootings during 2013–2015 in the USA.” Injury Prevention , vol. 23, no. 5, 2017, pp. 321-327.

Katsiyannis, Antonis, et al. “Historical Examination of United States Intentional Mass School Shootings in the 20 th and 21 st Centuries: Implications for Students, Schools, and Society.” Journal of Child and Family Studies , vol. 27, no. 8, 2018, pp. 2562-2573.

Metzl, Jonathan M., and Kenneth T. MacLeish. “Mental Illness, Mass Shootings, and the Politics of American Firearms.” American Journal of Public Health , vol. 105, no. 2, 2015, pp. 240-249.

Schildkraut, Jaclyn, and Tiffany Cox Hernandez. “Laws that Bit the Bullet: A Review of Legislative Responses to School Shootings.” American Journal of Criminal Justice , vol. 39, no. 2, 2014, pp. 358-374.

Towers, Sherry, et al. “Contagion in Mass Killings and School Shootings.” PLoS One , vol. 10, no. 7, 2015, pp. 1-12.

Vlahov, David. “Building the Evidence Base to Prevent Firearm Deaths and Injuries.” Journal of Urban Health , vol. 95, no. 3, 2018, pp. 293-294.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 9). School Shooting and Firearms in the United States. https://ivypanda.com/essays/school-shooting-and-firearms-in-the-united-states/

"School Shooting and Firearms in the United States." IvyPanda , 9 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/school-shooting-and-firearms-in-the-united-states/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'School Shooting and Firearms in the United States'. 9 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "School Shooting and Firearms in the United States." February 9, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/school-shooting-and-firearms-in-the-united-states/.

1. IvyPanda . "School Shooting and Firearms in the United States." February 9, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/school-shooting-and-firearms-in-the-united-states/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "School Shooting and Firearms in the United States." February 9, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/school-shooting-and-firearms-in-the-united-states/.

• Guns Usage in the United States
• Driving Under the Influence and Access to Firearms
• The Mental Illness and Gun Violence Analysis
• Criminal Lawyers, Informants and Evidence
• Sentencing and Punishment in the US
• Garrity v. New Jersey and Fifth Amendment Rights
• Police Accountability and Public Information Access
• Restorative Justice in the Criminal Justice Process

School shootings, race, and the media: a content analysis of podcasts on school shootings

• Masters Thesis
• Kekahu, Malissa N.
• Shigihara, Amanda
• Brooks, Jackie
• Sociology Department
• California State University, Sacramento
• school shootings
• social constructionism
• oai:alma.01CALS_USL:11245545180001671
• http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12741/rep:2242

Items in ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

School Shooting - Essay Samples And Topic Ideas For Free

School shootings are tragic events wherein gun violence occurs within an educational institution. Essays on school shootings could explore the sociopolitical, psychological, and cultural factors contributing to these occurrences, as well as the impact on communities and policy discourse surrounding gun control and school safety. Additionally, discussions might cover preventative measures, crisis response, and the long-term psychological and social implications of school shootings. A substantial compilation of free essay instances related to School Shooting you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Prevention of School Shootings

Out of the 235 mass shootings that occured in 2018, 23 of them took place at schools. School shootings are becoming more common today than they were before. Many people believe that something must be done to prevent these shootings. People want to know how many times do school shootings need to happen before something is finally done. The U.S has had back to back school shootings in 2018. It doesn't seem like this phenomenon is slowing down any, so […]

School Shootings and Gun Control

Killing people for pleasure or killing people because a person has mental problem should be an issue to look into. Gun control in schools are a dangerous and devastatin. Kids who go through shootings/ anxiety and PTSD. Gun control in schools and why it should not be a law. Gun controls in schools is a big problem and should be addressed by the community and the state. The history behind guns and gun control can be very interesting. Gun control […]

Do Video Games Promote Violence?

The Internet is rife with articles about the potentially harmful consequences of play. Psychologists and parents have been arguing the pros and cons of this topic for decades now namely whether video games encourage violence, social isolation and obesity, or on the other hand, promote cognitive growth, perception, care, memory and decision-making. Questions flood our mind making it near impossible to truly answer that question: Can a video game truly promote a violent glimpse into a future reality? Summarized below […]

We will write an essay sample crafted to your needs.

School Shootings as a Serious Social Problem in America

From coast to coast, we are recovering from recent school shootings, leaving devastating impacts on all Americans. Ask yourself, how many more school shootings do we need before we start talking about this as a social problem, and not merely a random collection of isolated incidents? Society has proven that school shootings can happen anywhere, at any time, and can happen to students of all ages, ethnicity, and religions, as well as teachers and administrators. Small, rural villages have had […]

Effects of School Shootings

School shootings has only recently become a national concern. Just in the past few years' school shootings have become almost ""normal"" and many people will agree with that statement. There are people who believe that those who commit the school shootings are actually victims themselves, and have been bullied. Others believe there is no correlation between the students who do the school shootings because they believe they grew up in a supportive family, with no significant family issues. Within this […]

Violence and Video Games

The latest debate that is long standing in country today is the big debate does or is video games harmful to our children. Do they allow our children to become harmful to their selves or others, there have been studies internationally looking at the ages from nine to nineteen from 2010 to 2017, over 17,000 adolescents found playing video games led to increased physical behavior over time. There were 24 studies done from countries including U.S., Canada, Germany and Japan […]

Political Solutions to the Epidemic Crisis of Mass Shootings and School Shootings

Abstract There have been a numerous amount of mass shootings and school shootings over the last few years. This paper identifies three possible solutions to the political problem, stating both the pros of all three solutions and the flaws found within two solutions. First, Congress passing a law requiring people to have mental evaluations before purchasing a gun as studies show more than half of the incidents that have occurred the perpetrators have physiological instability. Second, a Federal law that […]

Will School Shootings Ever End?

Numerous school shootings that have been reported have made parents fear for their child's life. Many students are intimidated and are traumatized from being bullied. Parents go about their lives providing the safety their children need and when something bad happens at their child's school, they question whether they should send their kids to school or not. If schools aren't safe, as some researchers say, then is there any place in the world for anyone to be safe? Much research […]

Examining the Deep Impact of U.S. Gun Violence on American Society

U.S. gun violence has had put a struggle on american living and the quality of it. Its put America into a spiral of fear, a lot of people don't know the extent of how its effecting are lives and the way we live. Schools have built there security, airports and all other large businesses and or public businesses have also done the same. Laws have been getting stricter and stricter but simply some people just dont listen and obey those […]

School Shootings in America

Why Do the Shooters Shoot? In this paper, I will select a crime to examine and analyze sociologically. I will also suggest a remedy for addressing this social problem at either a local or national level using sociological ideas and previous examples of intervention to justify my argument. One of the most disturbing and researched crimes in America is a mass shootings, particularly – school shootings. The endless reasons for these crimes have lawmakers and enforcement officials, throughout the country, […]

School Shooting and the Impact on the Survivor’s Mental Health

Abstract This research paper focuses on the worst school shootings in the United States and their impact. It provides readers with a brief description of each tragedy, background information on the shooter, and the undetected impact on the survivors. I was able to use various news outlets, such as CNN, ABC, Youtube, Nightline, and other reliable sources to gain knowledge on this topic. Due to recent incidents that took place in my community, I could relate to the subject matter […]

Why Gun Violence Increasing

Gun violence has had a drastic increase over the years, leaving the United States desperate for laws to be implemented concerning the well-being and safety of citizens. Terrifying events surrounding gun violence have left researchers with no option but to investigate gun laws and regulations. Only some states require permits in order to purchase a firearm and background checks are required by federal law to anyone purchasing a gun as well. A citizen at the age of 21 is legal […]

School Shootings: what Can we Do?

Why are school shootings so common in the United States? Students shouldn't be scared to go to school and parents shouldn't have to worry when sending their children off to school every day. Are there ways to reduce the number of school shootings for the future? Some researchers believe that there may be warning signs to look out for in assassins that have malignant fantasies before they commit the pending crime (Robertz). Observing these actions and identifying them as warning […]

School Shootings are Devastating

“The national conversation since the February 14 Parkland, Florida, school shooting that left 17 people dead has been dominated by gun control.” (Burger 1) This quote shows how school shootings are devastating because 17 students or teachers died in the Florida shooting. Numerous people have died in school shootings. The first school shooting to ever happen in the US was on July 26, 1764, in Pennsylvania. A school master was killed following nine or ten children that also died, only […]

Is Arming Teachers Really the Best Solution to School Shootings?

School shootings have been happening more and more frequently over the past few months. There's been many debates on why school shootings are happening, how we could stop them or at least reduce the problem, and overall how we can keep students more safe. However, guns are not the solution. Many school shootings happen throughout the school day and most of the time the shooter is someone who either went to the school or still attends. Many people say it […]

School Shootings are Bad

Everyone is concerned about mass shootings. I think everyone in the country can agree that they are horrible, and we all wish they'd never happen again. Unfortunately they will continue to happen and may increase in frequency. There is a large group of Americans who feel like gun control and confiscation is the answer. While I agree that it's important to prevent or minimize the casualties of future shootings, I strongly disagree with the above mentioned method. The constitution guarantees […]

Research on Video Games and Violence

The day and age we live in are getting more violent and aggressive. Since 2013 there have been at least 300 school shootings. As of 2018, there have been at least ten school shootings. As a result, parents and others have blamed the increase of such horrific acts on violent video games. Some of these video games may include the widely known "Call of Duty franchise, "Halo, "Grand Theft Auto, and "Destiny. Though video games may be correlational to violence […]

The Tragedies of High School Shootings

It is heartbreaking and horrifying feeling when we watch young students on TV or in person running out of their schools, fearful for their lives to be taken away. School shootings are terrifying incidents that make us wonder what if we or our loved ones may face these types of situations. People have been calling for an action to address the increasing number of mass school shootings in the United States during the past decades. In one study that was […]

Arming Teachers and School Shooting

Imagine it is one-thirty in the afternoon and you are walking through a busy high school. You are likely imagining hearing the melody of children laughing, lockers closing, and feet shuffling through the hallways. The last thing you are expecting to hear is running, screaming and the ringing of bullets flying through halls. Now stop imagining, as a result of the increase of guns in America this nightmare has become a reality. Students already have enough to worry about, on […]

Eric Harris School Shooting

On April 20,1999, 17-year-old Dylan Klebold and 18-year-old Eric Harris committed a mass shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. At 11:10, “The two then walked into the school cafeteria, where they placed two duffel bags each containing a 20-pound propane bomb set to explode at 11:17 a.m.” (History.com, 2009) These students entered the school around 11:00am and killed 13 people, injured over 20 people, and then ended the massacre by committing suicide. These boys are classified as mass […]

Effect of School Shooting in Florida

School shootings have become more common over the years, in 2018 alone there have been seven school shootings. There have been a total of fifty-seven school shootings in thirty-six different countries between 2000 and 2010 (Chicago Tribune). School shootings have lead to both social and political change. There have been several studies regarding the attendance as well as the performance of the students academically. The Florida school shootings have lead to a change in New York politics and has led […]

Combating Gun Violence

A school shooting is an attack at an educational institution, such as a school or university, involving the use of firearms. The first recorded school shooting in the United States took place in 1840, when a law student shot and killed his professor at the University of Virginia. Despite that crime rates in the United States are declining, and homicide specifically is especially rare, many people believe that school shootings are becoming epidemic, occurring more frequently than the have in […]

Tragedy and the Meaning of School Shootings

""The phenomenon referred to as ""school shootings"" pertains mainly to those shootings where the school is deliberately chosen as the site of violence, the violence is perpetrated by a current or former student, and the targets are chosen symbolically or at random with the intention of causing as many deaths as possible"" (Travers, McDonagh & Elklit, 2018). One of the most recent concerns in education today is school safety protocols to prohibit an intruder. Over the past few decades, school […]

School Shootings have Become a Big Problem after Columbine

Many schools employed security guards, installed metal detectors and cameras, and permitted teachers to be armed. However, doing this did not change most outcomes. The problem is not allowing people to enter, it is a problem within the school. Students do not even feel safe at schools anymore they believe they have to sneak in guns to protect themself, and parents fearing for their children as well. Teachers and parents should become aware of the symptoms (bullied, distanced, negativity, and […]

Today’s Real World Challenge: High School Shooting

  My topic is school shootings. School shootings are when someone invades a school or university and shoots (injures or kills) a student or faculty member of that school. I chose this topic because I feel that this is a real problem in the real world today that needs to stop. Innocent people are dying and being sent to hospitals for problems that they didn’t even start, that they aren’t even involved in. I also know that I would hate […]

Blatant Morals and School Shootings

With bullets flying claiming the lives of innocent students and wounding others in the process, a pool of emotions surfaces. In abundance, the community shouts(demands,questions,) for answers while grieving in pain. Dating back to the first reported school shootings that took place we stumble upon the gruesome discovery of the ""Enoch Brown"" massacre in 1764. ""Four Delaware (Lenape) American Indians entered the schoolhouse near present-day Greencastle, Pennsylvania, and shot and killed schoolmaster Enoch Brown and nine children (reports vary). Only […]

Students Protest and Addresses Gun Violence

A schools' biggest fear is having a shooter come onto campus. There has been so many incidents on the news that people are trying to find solutions for this issue. Students need to feel safe while they are learning. I have found three articles of school shootings that go into detail about what took place on those days. Each author has had an interesting stand-point about what should happen next. In this paper, i will be comparing the authors perspective […]

Rise of School Shootings

School shootings have been on the rise and are more prevalent than ever before. "In less than 18 years, we have already seen more deaths related to school shootings than in the whole 20th century. One alarming trend is that the overwhelming majority of 21st-century shooters were adolescents, suggesting that it is now easier for them to access guns, and that they more frequently suffer from mental health issues or limited conflict resolution skills,". (Katsiyannis et al., 2018) This leaves […]

The Impact of School Shootings

There has been a significant increase in school shootings. This has prompted the debate of whether metal detectors, security guards, and gated entrances should be utilized to enforce school safety. There is a decline in school shootings in certain states. These states have chosen to allow extended measures to increase school safety. Others argue that there is not enough money in the budget to spend on additional safety measures for school security. Should money be put aside for school safety […]

Persuasive Speech on Gun Control to Prevent School Shootings

It's called school, not a shooting range. Students should be focusing on their educations, not living in fear of being harmed in the environment they consider safe. According to CNN, "The US has had 57 times as many school shootings as the other major industrialized nations combined." If this isn't a glaring pointer that our gun laws must be updated and renovated to create a safer country for our successors, then what is? Every day, children go to school wondering […]

Additional Example Essays

• Homeschooling vs Traditional Schooling
• Do Schools Do Enough to Prevent Bullying Essay
• Personal Philosophy of Leadership
• Socioautobiography Choices and Experiences Growing up
• Gender Inequality in Education
• Rosa Parks Vs. Harriet Tubman
• PTSD in Veterans
• The Yellow Wallpaper Feminism
• Why Gun Control Won’t Work
• Poverty and Homelessness in America
• How Have You Impacted Your Community
• National Honors Society Leadership

How To Write an Essay About School Shooting

Introduction to the topic of school shootings.

When writing an essay about school shootings, it is crucial to approach the topic with sensitivity and a deep understanding of its complexity. School shootings are a tragic form of violence that have profound impacts on communities, families, and the public at large. In your introduction, it's important to define what constitutes a school shooting, acknowledging the gravity and sensitivity of the issue. Offer a brief overview of the increase in these incidents in recent years, setting the stage for a thoughtful exploration of their causes, impacts, and potential preventive measures. Your introduction should establish the tone for the essay, which should be respectful, informative, and reflective.

Examining the Causes and Motivations

The first major section of your essay should explore the potential causes and motivations behind school shootings. This involves delving into complex factors such as mental health issues, access to firearms, societal influences, and possible warning signs exhibited by perpetrators. It's important to present a balanced view, acknowledging that there is rarely a single cause for such actions and that they are the result of a combination of factors. Utilize relevant research, case studies, and expert analyses to support your discussion. This exploration should provide readers with a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of the problem, moving beyond simplistic explanations.

Impact on Communities and Policy Implications

Next, focus on the impact of school shootings on communities, survivors, and society at large. Discuss the immediate and long-term psychological, emotional, and social consequences these events have on students, teachers, families, and communities. Explore how school shootings influence public policy, particularly in relation to gun control, school safety measures, and mental health resources. Analyze different policy responses and their effectiveness, drawing from examples in various regions or countries. This section should highlight the ripple effect of school shootings, underscoring the importance of comprehensive and informed policy responses.

Concluding with Solutions and Reflections

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points and offering reflections on potential solutions to prevent future school shootings. Discuss the importance of a multi-faceted approach that includes enhancing school security, improving mental health support for students, responsible gun ownership, and community awareness. Reflect on the societal changes necessary to address the root causes of such violence. Your conclusion should encourage readers to think critically about the issue and consider their role in contributing to safer school environments and communities. A well-crafted conclusion will not only bring closure to the essay but also inspire a sense of responsibility and hope for a future where school shootings are a thing of the past.

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Campus protests over the Gaza war

She survived the 1970 kent state shooting. here's her message to student activists.

Rachel Treisman

Ohio National Guard members move toward students at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, on May 4, 1970. They fired into the crowd, killing four students and injuring nine. AP hide caption

Ohio National Guard members move toward students at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, on May 4, 1970. They fired into the crowd, killing four students and injuring nine.

When Roseann "Chic" Canfora arrived at Ohio's Kent State University in 1968, she says she was constantly being given leaflets by anti-war activists on campus — and throwing them away.

U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War was dragging on and deeply unpopular with a growing number of Americans. Over time, Canfora became one of them.

"It wasn't until I was personally touched, losing friends in that war and seeing the draft that would now take my brothers to that war, that I stopped throwing the anti-war leaflets away and I paid attention," she recalls in an interview with NPR.

She says she sees similarities with the students who are protesting at college campuses across the country today, calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and university divestment from companies linked to Israel.

"They at least know that they don't want any famine and suffering and death done in their name," she says. "And so it's inspiring to see them having similar conversations that we had, saying 'We don't like what we're seeing and we need to speak out against it.' "

Consider This from NPR

For weeks students have protested the war in gaza — now things are escalating.

Colleges across the country are grappling with how to respond to the demonstrations, with many administrations calling in local and state police to disperse them. More than 2,000 people have been arrested at protests nationwide in the span of two weeks, with some injured in the process.

House Speaker Mike Johnson even called on President Biden to send the National Guard to Columbia University last week, days before New York City police cleared out and arrested some 300 protesters there.

Canfora is all too familiar with what can happen when the National Guard cracks down on campus demonstrations.

Roseann "Chic" Canfora was a student at Kent State University in 1970, and came back as a professional in residence after several decades working in public education. Bob Christy hide caption

Roseann "Chic" Canfora was a student at Kent State University in 1970, and came back as a professional in residence after several decades working in public education.

As a sophomore, she was among the protesters rallying on May 4, 1970, when members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of students , killing four and injuring nine — including her brother, Alan, who was one year her senior.

"My brother's roommate pulled me behind a parked car, and it was at that moment that I realized this was live ammunition because the car was riddled with bullets," she recalls. "The glass of the car windows was shattering above us, and we could hear the M1 bullets zipping past our heads and bumping into the ground in the pavement around us. And it was a horrifying 13 seconds."

Canfora emerged from the car to find Alan and came across several classmates injured, including two who later died.

"I ran to where I last saw him and saw the body of Jeff Miller at the foot of the hill, lying in a pool of blood," she remembers. "I first thought it was my brother until I saw the clothing that he was wearing ... One of our friends came up behind me and said, 'Alan and Tom both got hit.' "

Canfora was one of 25 people indicted in connection with the demonstration, and among the vast majority who were later exonerated.

Campus protests over the war in Gaza have gone international

"Those trials were eventually thrown out for lack of evidence that we had participated in a riot," she explains. "Even though we were grateful that those indictments were thrown out ... we had lost our opportunity to tell the world what happened that day."

Canfora has spent the intervening decades working to correct the record and preserve the legacy of May 4 — and now works as a professional-in-residence at Kent State, teaching journalism and helping plan its annual commemorative events.

The events at Kent State more than five decades ago, she says, hold some especially timely takeaways today.

"It's hard to believe that this will be our 54th year of returning to the Kent State campus to talk about what we witnessed and survived here, and to tell the truth that we know so that ... people learn the right lessons from what happened here so that students on college campuses can exercise their freedom of speech without the fear of being silenced or harmed," Canfora says.

The words and actions that led to May 4th

People ducking and running for cover near a parking lot during the shooting at Kent State University on May 4, 1970. News Service May 4 photographs. Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives. hide caption

People ducking and running for cover near a parking lot during the shooting at Kent State University on May 4, 1970.

Anti-war protests on college campuses intensified after April 30, 1970, when President Richard Nixon announced the U.S. invasion of Cambodia — a marked escalation of a war that many hoped was winding down.

Students nationwide held protests on May 1, a Friday. The situation in Kent intensified over the weekend , as demonstrators — including college students — clashed with police downtown, prompting Kent Mayor LeRoy Satrom to ask the governor to dispatch the Ohio National Guard to the city.

They arrived on Saturday night to find Kent State's wooden ROTC building on fire, burning to the ground. On Sunday, Canfora says students held a peaceful sit-in on campus, calling on the university president to get the National Guard off campus, to no avail.

"On Sunday night, three students were stabbed in the backs, in the legs by guardsmen and bayonets," she remembers. "And that was all a foreshadowing of what was to come the next day, on Monday."

Biden says he supports the right to protest but denounces 'chaos' and hate speech

Canfora says she can't talk about the use of excessive force — then and now — without "tying it to the inflammatory rhetoric that inspired that force."

Nixon referred to student protesters as "bums," while then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan said "if it takes bloodbath" to deal with campus demonstrators "let's get it over with." On May 3, Ohio Gov. Jim Rhodes described campus demonstrators as "the worst type of people that we harbor in America."

"We were too young and naïve at 18 and 19 years old to know the danger of those inflammatory words," Canfora says. "But we saw the repercussions of that when American soldiers turned their guns on American people — in fact, on American college students — because they were conditioned to see us as dangerous and an enemy. And we should all learn the lessons from that."

She points out that the commission on campus unrest that Nixon formed in June 1970 would issue a report calling the shootings "unnecessary, unwarranted, and inexcusable," while an FBI report released later that year found reason to believe the Guard's claims of acting in self-defense were "fabricated subsequent to the event."

NYC mayor says 'outside agitators' are co-opting Columbia protests—students disagree

After an almost decade-long legal battle , the Guardsmen settled out of court with more than two dozen defendants, though the state paid the families of injured students. The Ohio National Guard signed a statement that began, "In retrospect, the tragedy of May 4, 1970 should not have occurred."

Canfora also draws parallels between the misinformation that ran rampant then and today, noting that "excuses" for the use of excessive force on campus began immediately after the shooting.

Students had two hours to leave campus, and she remembers watching the theories take off on television from her family's house.

"I had an aunt that came into our home while my brother was still bandaged from his wound saying, 'You know, there was a sniper [threatening the Guardsmen],'" she says. "It was very difficult for middle America to believe that American soldiers would turn their guns on American people without some provocation."

The shooting's legacy on Kent State campus activism

Alan and Chic Canfora, among others, take place in a panel discussion during the 15th Annual May 4 Commemoration in 1985. Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives hide caption

Alan and Chic Canfora, among others, take place in a panel discussion during the 15th Annual May 4 Commemoration in 1985.

Canfora and other students who survived the shooting returned to campus every year to tell their story and try to counter the rhetoric of the National Guard.

But the university said in 1975 that "five years was long enough to remember" — prompting students to work with survivors to form the May 4th Task Force, which still organizes annual commemorations to this day. This year's includes the traditional candlelit walk around campus, a memorial service and special lectures.

Canfora says many years of activism led to wins like markers where the injured students fell on campus, so cars can no longer park there, a May 4th walking tour and visitor center with archives.

How some faculty members are defending student protesters, in actions and in words

"And most importantly, we have a university administration that doesn't ... distance themselves from the tragedy," she says. "But they embrace their history and they feel a responsibility as Kent State University to teach others what we learned from that, to make sure it never happens again on a college campus in this country."

Kent State University President Todd Diacon told NPR that the importance of kindness, respect, free speech and civic dialogue are "baked into our DNA now," including in its statement of core values and the work of its School for Peace and Conflict Studies, founded in 1971.

Students at Kent State University have been gathering on campus for vigils, signing statements of solidarity and advocating for things like divestment from weapons manufacturers, he says, but without breaking school rules on things like encampments.

What a 1968 Columbia University protester makes of today's pro-Palestinian encampment

"I would say literally all of them have really honored who we are as an institution and our aspirations for civic dialogue," he says.

Diacon acknowledged that the situation is very different at other campuses around the country, and stressed that public universities like Kent State have much less leeway than private universities when it comes to restricting speech, and that even for public schools policies vary according to state law.

"I think there's no one size fits all when it comes to observing, or opining or evaluating how universities are addressing their situation," he says.

Lessons for schools and protesters today

National Guard personnel and jeeps at Kent State University, with a crowd in the background. News Service May 4 photographs. Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives. hide caption

National Guard personnel and jeeps at Kent State University, with a crowd in the background.

Even so, Diacon says, there are certain lessons from the shooting that are broadly applicable today.

One is the danger of armed action on a college campus, he says, particularly when it comes to the National Guard, who are not controlled by the university administration.

"I think a primary lesson from Kent State is you need to have local law enforcement in the lead if you're going to do something," he says.

He also echoes Canfora's point that the shootings did not happen in a vacuum — both in that they were not the only campus protests, and they followed an "dehumanization and demonization of opponents" due to increasingly polarizing rhetoric over the Vietnam War.

Canfora says she's inspired by what she's seeing from college students today, noting that they have much less free time for activism than her generation did — in part because so many have to work to afford tuition.

Her college tuition was $197 a quarter, and room and board came out to $450 a year, which she was able to pay for with her minimum-wage job and spending money from her mom. In contrast, she sees many of her own students balancing full course loads with 40-hour work weeks.

In Columbia University's protests of 1968 and 2024, what's similar — and different

"These students today don't have that time," she says. "And they are finding that time to act, to make their voices heard."

And that's important, she says, because — then and now — college students are "the conscience of America."

"If not a college campus, where else in our society, in this democracy, can we count on large groups of people to do exactly what these college students are doing: paying attention to the world, looking at what is being done in the world ... and coming up with strategies for opposing it if they don't agree with it?" she asks. "That's healthy. That shouldn't be something that is feared."

• Vietnam War
• national guard
• Israel-Hamas war
• campus protests
• kent state shooting

Decades after Kent State shooting, the tragic legacy shapes its activism

The university where 13 student protesters were killed or injured during the Vietnam War era worries that other schools have learned nothing from its history.

KENT, Ohio — Atop Blanket Hill, a brass plaque reads “Ohio National Guard Firing Position.” A nearby steel sculpture is marred by a bullet hole. Smaller, circular plaques dot one side of the hill and the asphalt parking lot below, all signaling spots on the Kent State University campus where nine students were shot and wounded by soldiers on May 4, 1970.

Their names and the distances the bullets traveled are recorded on the markers. So, too, are the names of four students who were killed.

In the decades since the horror of that afternoon forced a national reckoning over the Vietnam War, the trauma and the lessons to emerge from it have become embedded in the university’s DNA. Both help explain why, even as campuses across the country erupt in ugly conflicts over the Israel-Gaza war , the community here goes about its activism differently.

Kent State’s curriculum includes courses centered on the massacre. Its May 4 Visitors Center details what preceded the shooting and the steps needed to prevent something similar from ever happening again. Freshmen go there every fall as part of their orientation.

They’re taught not only about the school’s past but about “making it your own,” center director Alison Caplan said.

Administrators, professors and students have spent the past two weeks watching the demonstrations elsewhere in dismay. They are worried by what they see as precursors to the same kind of state-sanctioned violence that led to the deadly confrontation in 1970: rhetoric that dehumanizes opponents, university officials tapping law enforcement to quell protests and politicians calling for the National Guard to be sent in if that doesn’t work.

“They may have learned nothing from history,” said Chic Canfora, a Kent State journalism professor and one of the student protesters who was shot at 54 years ago.

May 4, 1970

The weekend had been tumultuous on campuses from coast to coast , students protesting President Richard M. Nixon’s announcement that the United States would invade Cambodia as part of an escalation in the war. At Kent State, the wooden ROTC building had been set on fire, and Gov. James Rhodes had flown in. He derided the protesters as “the worst type of people that we harbor in America” and vowed to use any means necessary — including guns — to end the unrest.

By Monday, nearly 1,000 members of the state’s National Guard occupied the northeastern Ohio campus. By noon, they were confronting about 3,000 students gathered in a large, grassy area called the Commons. The Guard declared the assembly unlawful and ordered them to disperse. Few did, and the soldiers started marching forward while firing tear gas canisters into the crowd.

What happened next stunned America: The students retreated up Blanket Hill and then down the other side toward a parking lot and practice football field. Most of the soldiers followed but stopped on the field. About 10 minutes later, the troops went back up the hill. Students like Joe Cullum thought the protesters had won.

“It just felt a little bit like a celebration,” he recounted this week during the final class of “May 4, 1970 and Its Aftermath,” a course the university offers annually.

Then, at 12:24 p.m., dozens of Guard members turned in unison and aimed at the crowd.

“They’re going to shoot,” Dean Kahler thought, picking up the story from Cullum. He remembers looking around for cover, but there was nothing to hide behind. “All of a sudden, I heard bullets hitting the ground real near where I was — I mean, they got real close.” He suddenly felt a sting in his lower back, like from a bee. It was a bullet in his spine, he told the students. He’d never walk again.

In 13 seconds, the soldiers fired more than 60 bullets down the northeastern slope of Blanket Hill. Students Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder were fatally injured.

Cullum, a 74-year-old retired high school social studies teacher, connected past and present during the class conversation and pivoted to the pro-Palestinian campus protests and arrests happening elsewhere. “I don’t expect [universities] to agree to all the demands that students are making, but I expect them to have a conversation,” he said.

On the first anniversary of the tragedy, Kent State’s leaders created the Center for Peaceful Change, now called the School of Peace and Conflict Studies and described as an “original ‘living memorial’ to the students killed on May 4, 1970.” Aside from that, some alumni and retired faculty recall, officials tried to distance the school from the shooting. They even briefly renamed it “Kent” as a way to separate it from “Kent State,” which had become synonymous with one searing moment.

The administration tried to end an annual commemoration after five years, saying enough time had passed, Canfora said. Students and survivors who disagreed formed the May 4 Task Force, intent on raising awareness about the factors that led to the shooting and the lack of accountability and justice in its aftermath.

“We were just an irritant that kept wanting the world to remember what happened at Kent State,” Canfora said.

In 1977, as the university prepared to build a gym over part of the site where the 13 students had been killed or injured, protesters created “Tent City” and started what would become a two-month, around-the-clock occupation of Blanket Hill. The goal was “to protect the May 4 shooting site with our bodies,” said Canfora, who was part of the effort. It ended only after court orders allowed law enforcement to forcibly remove and arrest nearly 200 protesters.

The university’s attitude has evolved significantly in recent years.

In 2014, it opened its special visitors center, with multimedia exhibits that take people through the tumultuous 1960s and the student activism that burgeoned at Kent State and throughout the country. Firsthand audio accounts trace the events on campus between May 1 and May 4. For Todd Diacon, then the senior vice president for academic affairs, the center recognized “the historical importance” of the shooting and offered people a chance “to reflect on significant issues necessary to sustaining a democratic society.”

But what some consider the turning point came in 2018, when Kent State’s then-president gave a speech in which she said it must accept its fate as “the reluctant custodian of an indelible mark on the American landscape.”

“We live with our wound,” Beverly Warren told the crowd. “The question we ask today is: What do we do with it?”

Quieter activism

The Kent State of 2024 is different from that of 1970, though the public university’s student body — numbering nearly 32,000 undergraduates — still comes from predominantly working-class homes. On the main campus, about a third of students need to work 10 to 30 hours per week to pay for their education. At Kent State’s seven regional campuses, more than 50 percent need to do so.

“A lot of our students are just really busy working,” said Diacon, who became president in 2019.

Yet many are pursuing campus activism tied to the war in Gaza . While not the dramatic, highly visual encampments that have drawn such attention, as well as becoming such flash points at places like Columbia University, UCLA and Dartmouth College, their campaign aims to achieve some of the same goals.

The university addresses the violence and free speech issues of the May 4 shooting, but largely ignores the anti-militarism, anti-imperialist message being pushed by students at that time, said Magdalen Weiss-Vopat, 23, an organizer for Concerned Students, an ad hoc group of eight Kent State organizations. In her view, the heart of Kent State protests circa 1970 is relevant to America’s role in Gaza and Israel today.

“We’re trying to hold the university accountable and make sure that they’re not being essentially hypocrites,” she said.

In December, the group told administrators it planned to speak out at a Board of Trustees meeting and used the prospect of that to negotiate the release of information regarding the university’s $400 million investment portfolio — achieving a key demand of other student activists around the country. The ensuing months were spent scouring through the data, researching the university’s investment funds and homing in on five companies that the group believed manufacture military weapons being used in Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

Late last month, the group sent the president a letter demanding the university divest from those companies. In doing so, the students referenced Kent State’s past. The sacrifice of their predecessors demanded a greater responsibility than that shouldered by peers at Columbia, Yale University or the University of California at Berkeley, they noted.

“As current Kent State students, we have a moral duty to continue the work of those before us,” they wrote. “We not only stand in solidarity with our student activist forbearers, but with our fellow students around the country today as they advocate for a better world, free of genocide and imperialism. It is with this history that we call on you to take action.”

“Imperialism hasn’t really changed all that much. And we’re still fighting the same fight,” said Camille Tinnin, another Concerned Students organizer and a political science doctoral student whose focus is conflict analysis and management. “It’s all like a part of that one struggle.”

On Wednesday, members of Concerned Students met with two top administrators to present their findings about the university’s investment in weapons manufacturers. They provided two alternative funds that provide similar returns on investment and asked the administrators to urge the Board of Trustees — the ultimate decision-maker — to sit down with the group, Tinnin said.

“Based on what’s happening around the country, I think they will come to the negotiating table,” she said. “It would be a very bad look if they didn’t.”

‘A lived lesson’

Diacon purposely goes through the parking lot where the memorials and markers were placed at least once a semester. He walked by there again Tuesday en route to the visitors center, where for nearly an hour he talked about the singular legacy of 1970 on this campus. Surrounding and looming over him were the haunting, harrowing drawings from an illustrated history of “Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio” by prominent cartoonist Derf Backderf.

Diacon said he won’t judge the actions of other college presidents who in recent days asked outside law enforcement to break up protests on their grounds. Every situation requires its own unique response, he stressed. But he was emphatic that doing so was not for Kent State.

“We very clearly have a lived lesson, which is polarization and bringing in external armed troops was the exact recipe for the tragedy that happened on our campus,” he said.

A historian by training — he specialized in the central state power of Brazil — Diacon identifies parallels between what happened in the United States more than a half-century ago and what’s happening now.

“I worry about this moment in American culture and politics and history, that we’re seeing this kind of polarization that we saw in the late ’60s and in the ’70s,” he said. “And I worry about that as a recipe for another Kent State.”

Outside the center, barely 150 feet away, lay the National Historic Landmark plaque where soldiers once started firing. Even closer, a towering statue of metal panes that rises toward the sky like a vertical house of cards.

In one of the lowest panes is a bullet hole. Anonymous artists used chalk to incorporate the hole into a peace sign.

Below it are two words: Never forget.