by: Theresa Schuetz

Students interviewed, from left to right, Miley Riggs Maxx Arendas, and Emma Audia. Photo by: Theresa Schuetz

Schools are supposed to be safe spaces full of learning and growing ideas, however, as of late, more and more school shootings have been occurring. According to EducationWeek.org, there have been 13 school shootings so far in 2023.  

The most recent of the 13 shootings happened in Nashville, Tennessee, taking the lives of three children and three adults. School shootings have taken the lives of six children in total and four adults this year alone and injured 13 others this year according to Education Week.  

“We need protection to protect the children,” sophomore Miley Riggs said. 

Children die every day; however, according to CNN News, the leading cause of death for children is gun violence. The Washington Post states that since Columbine’s school shooting 376 other school shootings have taken place, traumatizing tens of thousands of students and teachers. 

“Thousands of children have lost their lives due to one person going into a place where we should be safe, and we’re not safe,” Riggs said. 

A common suggestion made for making schools safer has been to arm teachers in case of a shooting. 

“I don’t think teachers should carry guns on them,” sophomore Emma Audia said. “You don’t know who you’re giving a gun to.” 

Arming teachers has been debated since around 2018; many say that it won’t help slow down the number of school shootings, while others believe it is the best way for kids and adults to stay safe during one.  

“Now I wouldn’t say every teacher, but if you at least have one teacher that’s been there for a decent amount of time and they’re trusted among many and know their way around a firearm, I would not have an issue with arming a teacher,” junior Maxx Arendas said. 

With tensions high because of the number of shootings, people are torn apart, and schools are now threatened more than ever with gun threats. Every school in America practices drills and critiques what works for them when it comes to being threatened.  

Often times when there is a threat at GS, parents are informed and students continue what they’re doing in the moment, but there is a lot more going on behind the scenes to keep students and staff safe. 

“We take them very seriously,” Dean of Students Mr. Jeff Kronenwetter said. “I wouldn’t want our techniques to be spread out there, but we practice, we go through routines, we run through the fire drills and the active shooter drills.”  

Although there isn’t a concrete answer as to why people end up threatening schools or end up following through with their threats, there are some assumptions as to why they might. One of those theories is mental disorders which then sparks the debate about implicating more extensive background checks. 

Audrey Hale, the Covenant school shooter, legally purchased multiple firearms while allegedly struggling with mental disorders, which supports the debate about more extensive background checks.  

“The only gun restrictions that I think should be in effect are more extensive background checks,” Arendas said. 

The other theory as to why school shootings are so prominent is the easy access to obtaining high-grade weapons. 

The Uvalde shooter had a military-style rifle, which also causes controversy as to what types of guns should be sold to citizens and which types of guns should be restricted. 

“Automatics are too easy to get, and those are the most dangerous ones, there aren’t that many restrictions for them,” Audia said. 

School gun violence is a tough topic for people to talk about and is a major target that citizens want taken care of.  

“I think it’s genuinely the worst thing that isn’t being taken care of,” Riggs said.