It’s easy to be armchair experts who have all the answers to how we should handle violence in our schools in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. The politicians and gun lobbyists, who sit in their fancy Washington DC offices, think they know how best to handle these situations, but do they? Do we, from where we sit, so removed from the actual tragedy of losing a child, have the answers?
Without facts, research and study we cannot know what approach is best. Common sense is intuitive, but frequently the solution is counterintuitive. More guns in our schools to protect our children may be the answer…or not. Laws supporting more gun control may be the answer…or not. At issue is the willingness of both sides of the debate to consider all options as viable solutions. To do otherwise is to simply succumb to a knee-jerk reaction that may do more harm to the freedoms of our citizens, than good in protecting our school children.
The most comprehensive position paper I found on the Sandy Hook School Violence was released on December 19, 2012, called, Connecticut School Shooting Position Statement Interdisciplinary Group on Preventing School and Community Violence. Read it in its entirety: https://joanjerkovich.com/2012/12/31/teachers-speak-out-on-guns-in-schools/
Key points made by these Teachers and Educators were:
- Inclinations to intensify security in schools should be reconsidered. We cannot and should not turn our schools into fortresses.
- Research demonstrates a clear connection between local availability of guns and gun-related violent behaviors.
- Although guns are never the simple cause of a violent act, the availability of lethal weapons including assault type weapons to youths and adults with emotional disturbance and antisocial behavior poses a serious public health problem.
- There should be increased efforts to limit inappropriate access to guns and, especially, assault type weapons.
- Schools need mental health resources.
- Communities need to strengthen their attention to the needs of mental health.
- Schools need structured threat assessment approaches.
- There should be threat assessment teams in every school and community so that people can seek assistance when they recognize that someone is troubled and requires help.
- Revised policies on youth exposure to violent media are needed.
We don’t need opinions. We need solutions. We need to find a way to reduce the violence and senseless killings, not only in our schools, but also in our country.
New Jersey Chris Christie (R) said that he doesn’t believe having armed guards will make schools safer or encourage learning. His opinion may prove correct…or not. Regardless, his Jersey Bromance with Obama appears to be holding strong!
*AP Photo/Noah Berger from gopusa.com