School Shootings on the Rise

According to a federal report done by the National Center for Education Statistics,
there were ninety-three gun-related incidents in the United States that resulted in
lives lost on school property in 2021 alone. Lives as young as twelve years old have been
taken violently while at school, a location where children should feel safe and secure.

The harsh reality

Gun violence is an all-too-real reality for many children today. A prime example
happened very recently in Uvalde, Texas at Robb elementary school, where nineteen
students and two teachers were killed by an 18-year-old gunman. The rate at which
children are being lost to gun violence is staggering. Peggy G. Carr, the commissioner
for the National Center for Education Statistics, reports that the data collected
throughout the years shows a rise in school shootings from 11 in 2009 to 93 in 2020-
2021.

Mental health and gun violence

Anger is a very strong emotion that drives violent behavior. Mental health services,
especially anger management, need to be discussed and provided to children who may
choose violence in order to deal with the world around them. There are healthy,
positive ways in which children can cope with difficulties that they may be facing in
school or at home. Since the brain is still developing in children and teens, it is
important to make these coping mechanisms known early on. Parents who are forced
to grieve their children prematurely in such a violent and immediate way may also
experience depression, anxiety, and more mental health problems. Gun violence affects
everyone involved in negative ways.
The trauma that these shootings cause for children, parents, and teachers is life-
changing. It can turn one’s life upside down. Children of all ages are especially at risk
for developing anxiety and PTSD as a result of surviving violent experiences at a young
age when the brain has not fully developed. Victims often feel shame and guilt
revolving around why they are still here and why this happened to them.

What is being, or can be, done?

Processing a traumatic event is essential for healing to begin, and parents can help
facilitate that. Traumatic events can both directly and indirectly affect children and
their mental health. Being aware, supportive, and open, as well as allowing your child to grieve                                                                                                    and limiting the amount of information they hear about it on the news can be
beneficial.
In recent news, President Joe Biden signed a bill into legislation that assists states in
flagging potentially dangerous situations in which firearms may be present and
temporarily removing them from someone who could harm themselves or others. This
bill also strengthens background checks for people ages 18 to 21, gets rid of the
loophole that allows domestic violence offenders to access firearms (called the
“boyfriend loophole”), and funds mental health services for the young generation
impacted by gun-related violence. It is hopeful that this bill will save the lives of
children, teachers, and anyone else who has been affected by firearms. There is still a
lot of work that needs to be done, but this bill seems to be a step in the right direction.

References:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/school-shootings-rose-highest-
number-2-decades-federal-report-shows-rcna35638
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-signs-landmark-gun-
legislation-god-willing-s-going-lot-lives-rcna35326
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/robb-elementary-school-site-
massacre-will-razed-uvalde-texas-mayor-say-rcna34696
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-elementary-school-shooting-
echoes-sandy-hook-massacre-rcna30400
https://time.com/6182235/mass-shootings-children-mental-health-anxiety-
depression/

Written by James West, LMHC

Edited by: Psychology Intern Jillian Meloro

Jim West

Adolescent Expert, Jim West offers expert advice to Local and National TV News & Schools Internationally and provides phone or face-to-face counseling in the Orlando area. Jim is an Author, Communicator, School Consultant, Nationally Certified and State Licensed Counselor and specializes in counseling for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADD/ADHD) and Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD). Jim has been interviewed for multiple TV, Radio, magazine and newspaper articles. He is president of Total Life Counseling Center and his Total Life approach accelerates the therapeutic & healing process by relating to children, adolescents and adults and incorporating wellness. Jim’s clients travel from all over Florida, England, Georgia, Cayman Islands and the Bahamas as he has been able to treat clients with ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, Depression and more with FDA approved supplements and Dietary Modifications. 85% of his clients have not needed medication or used less medication than when they first came to Total Life Counseling Center.

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