The Cause

1784 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Solutions to school violence

The Cause

Violent crimes occur for many different reasons. Students who rampaged through the high schools throughout the United States have all said to have one thing in common; their peers did not respect the attackers. These students say they have felt bullied, or not belonging or not fitting in to what the “popular” standards are. So why resort to anger? Many said it feels it gives them the respect that they were deprived of and what they felt they deserved. These students make national and world news headlines, and they feel they have power and control when resorting to violence. Other reasons include drugs and gangs, which are at the top of the list followed by disagreements.

CAUSES OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE

Types of Gun Violence.

Intentional shooting

65%

Accident

13%

Hostage taking

8%

Suicide

8%

Undetermined

6%

(Reynolds, 1993)

Percentages of Gun-Related Incidents on School Property

Drugs/Gangs

18%

Long-standing Disagreements

15%

Playing With or Cleaning Guns

13%

Romantic Disagreements

12%

Fights Over Material Possessions

10%

Depression

9%

Vendetta Against Society

6%

Racial Incident

5%

Name Calling

4%

Vendetta Against School Employee

4%

Undetermined

4%

(Reynolds, 1993)

Beyond all others, intentional shootings are at the top of the list for motives of violence in schools. Students deliberately go into schools with a weapon with the intent to use the weapon. The number one reason for this is drugs and gangs followed by long-standing disagreements. These disagreements include the students who were belittled by their peers in school. Most of the accidental shootings include elementary aged students bringing a ...

... middle of paper ...

.... 40.

Vernberg, E. & Twemlow, S. (2000). Profiling violent youth: comments & observations.

Children’s services, (3), p. 171+. Retrieved October 4, 2001 from Academic Search/EBSCO database.

(Sept/Oct 2001). Alternative perspectives on school violence. Humanist, (6), p. 36+. Retrieved October 4, 2001 from Academic Search/EBSCO database.

(1999) School protective services. Retrieved November 7, 2001, from http://www.schoolprotectiveservices.com

(2001, May 30) School safety lessons learned: urban districts report progress. Sept 12, 2001, from http://www.edweek.com/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=38security.h20

(2000). Violence. World Book Encyclopedia. (Vol. 25). Chicago, World Book, Inc.

Walsh, M. (2001, May 23) Court distinguishes between threats, free speech. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2001, from http://www.edweek.com/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=37speech.h20

Show More
Related

  • Skinheads in the Antelope Valley

    1398 Words  | 3 Pages

    Most people would agree that some violence is in everyone, but it seems that well educated people often find other means to conquer their problems or go about solving them. Through history knowledge has proved to be an unavoidable part of life. As children in the community began dropping out of schools in vast numbers these kids were forced to, willingly or not, gain knowledge elsewhere (1998). A macro cause for the growing numbers of students dropping out of school and joining the gangs, could be that the ideas and values of those gangs quickly spread through the streets and classrooms. This Leads the teenagers to make decisions about wether or not they agree with the

    Read More

  • Biological Theories Of School Shootings

    1129 Words  | 3 Pages

    School shootings are some of the most horrific incidents that can take a community by storm. It can be hard to fathom how children can be capable of such horrible acts, such as killing their fellow classmates. Many people have tried to come up with explanations on how these terrible acts have occurred. These explanations have ranged to biological factors to how the way our society views violence. In this essay I will explain how some theories could explain these events and how they can help deter it from happening again.

    Read More

  • Media's Role in Mass School Shootings

    2224 Words  | 5 Pages

    The history of school shootings has shown an increase in mass school shooting. The very first known school shooting in the United States occurred on July 26, 1764 in present-day Greencastle, Pennsylvania. As part of the Pontiac's Rebellion, four Lenape Native Americans entered the school house and started shooting, killing the schoolmaster Enoch Brown and about nine students. Only two students survived the massacre (“History”). Since the 1700s the United States society has changed in many ways. Schools have become more than just one room school houses and each grade has its own teacher. Furthermore, the problem of school shootings has not decreased but rather increased over the years. On the one hand, reports from the Centers for Disease Control showed that in general school violence decreased from 1992 to 200...

    Read More

  • History of School Shootings in US

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    As the world recovers from recent school shootings, people wondered why these events have occurred. They are focused on drug use, violent society, video games, bullying, and mental issues to try and explain an unexplainable event. The idea that a person would shoot others for little or no reason gave little relief to the survivors.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On School Shootings

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is a sad time in American history when one can easily recount recent school shootings in their own area. This ease stems from a sharp increase in the number of firearms brought into elementary and middle schools across the country, with an intense focus on the issue beginning after the shooting of 20 children from Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut. Most school shooters are male, white, and often upper middle class. They are also more, often than not, under some type of mental stress that is causing them to create this type of violence in our communities. In fact, many school shooters are never suspected of doing any harm to their peers and teachers until it is much too late.

    Read More

  • We Must Work to Prevent Mass School Shootings

    1409 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although no one can be entirely sure what motivates teens to commit mass shootings, there are theories that must be examined to develop solutions. One theory states that there are ten factors that contribute to the likelihood of a teen committing murder. These factors include an unstable home life, being bullied at school, obsession with violent entertainment, being suicidal, involvement with drugs or alcohol, involvement with gangs or cults, and mental illness. Usually at least four of these qualities are present in homicidal teens (Khadaroo). While many of these causes stem from home lif...

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of School Shootings

    1724 Words  | 4 Pages

    In conclusion, School Violence is a widespread issue that must be addressed. School shootings and bullying are some of the biggest issues in today’s school system. Many times the seed of the issue begins with bullying and ends with consequences like suicide and school shootings. They affect people as early as elementary school all the way to the college level, some even ending with death. Only together can we stop school violence if we take a stand and change the world.

    Read More

  • School Shootings in America

    1793 Words  | 4 Pages

    Alan Fox discussed some typical characteristics of school shooters which included easy access to guns. Other characteristics were alienation, frustration, and low self esteem. Mr. Fox stated that these kids typically just don’t feel good about themselves. He blames the recent spate of school violence on the media and instant popularity arising from intense news coverage after the violence which encouraged a surge of “copycats”. He also discusses the role of violence seen in today’s movies, MTV and video games. Ignoring the warning signs of potential explosive juveniles was also sighted as a reason for this surge in school shootings.

    Read More

  • Mass School Shootings in America

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    It seems to go hand in hand that while people are being convinced that school murders are occurring more frequently, various types of school violence also seem to be rising. This is once again a myth. The United States Departments of Education and Justice distributed a survey to students both in 1989 and 1995. It was reported that the students only felt a .1% increase in the total level of victimization (Kappeler, 188). As a matter of fact, only one in ten public schools report any sort of violence at all (Kappeler, 189).

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On School Shootings

    2035 Words  | 5 Pages

    School shootings are the leading death by a fire arm in the United States. What motivates these people to want to kill others? Acts of violence at schools is not a new thing. School shootings date back to the 18th century. However, school shootings are growing more common in this day in age. What motivates these people to want to kill others? With social networks more and more people are being bullied, which results in more kids snapping and shooting up their school. Bullying isn’t the only reason for school shooting, now smart kids are snapping under the pressure of unrealistic standards set for them by their honors teachers. In high school teens get the choice to take honors classes, or regular classes. The biggest difference in these classes

    Read More

  • Preventing Mass School Shootings

    1426 Words  | 3 Pages

    In order to solve the problem of violence in schools, we must first find out who the problem is. Being that not every teenager is prone to participate in such violent acts as what happened at Columbine, there must be specific environment imposed on a particular biology to turn a teenager into an Eric Harris or a Dylan Klebold. These are not normal, healthy teenagers, and they don’t just become killers overnight. They become killers because they are already deeply disturbed individuals who can be sent over the edge by all sorts of innocuous influences. Violent teens often have specific characteristics that put them at high risk for committing these crimes. These high risked students may display some of the following traits. First, violent students often indicate their intentions before acting violently through drawings or writings. (Juhnke et. Al., 1999) They also make threats of violence towards others. Next, students prone to violent behavior tend to have a history of violence or aggression. (Juhnke et. Al., 1999) This may include other students, boyfriends/girlfriends, and animals. Violent students often have hypersensitivity toward criticism. (Juhnke et. Al., 1999) These students report perceptions of being teased, harassed or being picked on by those they were violent toward. This tormenting can also cause a student to isolate him or herself and withdrawal from friends and family, which is another sign that something is wrong. Another fairly obvious characteristic includes those children who are inappropriately given accress to firearms. (Juhnke et. Al., 1999) When students are given a gun, it gives them a sense of power. Some choose to take advantage of that power, as we have seen in numerous high school shoot...

    Read More

  • The Labeling Case Of Columbine High In Littleton, Colorado

    1093 Words  | 3 Pages

    One spring day April 20, 1999 to be exact, a school named Columbine High in Littleton, Colorado was under assault by two of its own students. Within fifteen minutes of the first lunch period, two students carrying weapons killed thirteen and wounded twenty one classmates before they turned the guns on themselves, becoming one of the most disturbing school shooting in U.S. history. This generation comes from aggression, hate, and ignorance, the three principal factors that cause school shootings. High school is a place where bullying, teasing, intimidation, humiliation, disapproval, physical abuse and social isolation are an everyday occurrence.

    Read More

  • School Safety

    966 Words  | 2 Pages

    In recent years, tragedies have been visited upon schools across the country. From Kentucky to Oregon to Colorado, the notion of schools as safe havens has been shattered by the sound of gunfire. These acts are not limited to any geographic regions or family backgrounds, nor do they have a single catalyst. Those who have committed such heinous acts have done so for different reasons, at different times, in different schools. But these acts of school violence have at least one thing in common- they have spurred all of us to take a look at what can be done to better protect children and teachers at school. Protecting our children is not simply a matter of public policy. It is a matter of strengthening basic values, of teaching children right from wrong, of instilling in them respect for others. We each have a responsibility to work to end youth violence and to keep schools safe for children and for those who teach them. Youth violence in many schools has reached universal proportions. It is not only happening in our high schools, it has also made its way into our elementary and middle schools. Everyone seems to have a different perspective on why there is such a problem with school safety. Some say it is the parents’ fault, some say it is the media, and others blame the schools. Yet, the question still remains. What can be done to make schools safer for the children and staff? One thing we need to do is learn to listen to our children and observe their behavior. According ...

    Read More

  • Reasons Why Parents are Choosing Homeschooling

    945 Words  | 2 Pages

    School shootings are becoming common place in the news as school violence is on the rise. Statistics state that 31.2 percent of parents said the leading cause for choosing homeschool over public school is “concern about the environment of other schools” (Burke, 2014). According to the CDC fact sheet Understanding School Violence, 12 percent of youth in grades 9-12 report being in a physical fight on school property while 5.9 percent reported that they felt unsafe at school and did not attend. Seven percent of teachers also report that they have been threatened or injured by a student (School Violence, 2013). While only 1 percent of all youth homicides occur at schools, violence does not need to result in a fatality in order to be a concern.

    Read More

  • Solutions to School Violence

    2772 Words  | 6 Pages

    Violence in schools has spread widely throughout the nation. This has caused many problems among students, families, faculty of schools, and residents of the areas. However, there are many possible ways we can stop all this violence in schools. Almost three-fourths of the United States teens are afraid of violent crime amongst their peers (Apfel 23). Violence in schools has become a big problem in todays society. With all the people being injured or killed in schools by guns and other weapons, more and more people are getting more weapons to bring in to schools. Nearly half of all males and one-third of all students including females said they could easily obtain a handgun if they wanted to (Glazer 14).

    Read More

More about The Cause

Open Document