Written By: Diana Ciminera
Gun violence has taken a toll in our country. Mass shootings and guns are at work, schools, churches, and homes. I was saddened to hear about the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas on May 24 where 19 children and two teachers were killed by a deranged teenager. As a parent, I can’t imagine what these families are going through. Sometimes I wonder what the future will look like for the upcoming generations. As seen in the past, this is not the first time our country has faced this kind of heinous crime and unfortunately, it won’t be the last. I wanted to hear some reactions from different sides so, I decided to get feedback from a few people to hear their thoughts specifically about school shootings. Being a teacher, student, and a parent especially today brings new worries with gun violence, especially in schools. I know for me it does, so I wanted to hear what some family and friends had to say.
So how do teachers feel about these incidents? One of my questions involved how teachers would feel if they were mandated to carry a gun. I asked a second-year teacher what her thoughts were on this topic, and she mentioned she would not feel comfortable or want the responsibility of carrying a gun. She stated, “although carrying a gun would be for safety reasons, I believe it would also portray an unsafe environment, cause stress and possibly make the students feel apprehensive.” She also mentioned that other solutions can be implemented such as having a police presence outside the school. I agree with her statement; placing this kind of responsibility on teachers would cause stress and safety concerns should the gun be left out by accident. I think her idea of having police stationed on school grounds would be a better solution.
I also wanted to know from a student’s perspective what he/she would do if one of their friends brought a gun to school. How would they handle the situation, and would they report it to school officials? This is the response I received from a high school senior. “I would definitely report my friend to school officials because it would bother me knowing that he/she is walking around with a gun.” "Even if they asked me not to say anything I would still report it.” He further mentions that we all have a responsibility to each other especially if the situation is a dangerous one. I agree with the student’s comment. I believe we must all take accountability when we are placed in a situation that can harm others. As a parent, I would want to know about my child’s behavior and actions if it’s inappropriate.
My last interview involved a parent’s perspective about what schools could do to help combat school gun control. Some feedback mentioned was incorporating workshops for both parents and students about gun violence, increasing security procedures, and installation of metal detectors. As Mrs. Kates stated, “the only way we can combat gun control and violence will be to start taking action by implementing new protocols in schools like the ones I mentioned.” I believe Mrs. Kate’s statement would be beneficial to all school communities and having schools offer workshops against gun violence is a great idea.
After completing my interviews, I realized that we all have the same concerns about gun violence and want to see new protocols be put in place. As the world continues to experience these tragedies keeping our families safe is our priority. Working with our children and teaching them about gun violence and the risks involved can hopefully discourage them from being influenced and peer pressured. Building a safe community should be everyone’s responsibility. Hopefully, everyone can do their part so our children can grow up in a safer and more peaceful environment. I think this can be the start of changing the future path to stopping gun violence.
Comments