Don't Shoot

Story by Violet Hardy, Brielle Holton, and Kalleigh Bagwell. Photo courtesy of Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. 

Stop, don't shoot! School shootings are happening more frequently than you think. Gun violence is also becoming a major cause of death among teens and children, especially African American children. According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention Wonder database, “children and teens are more likely to die by guns than anything else. Firearms accounted for 18% of childhood deaths (ages 1-18) in 2022. This indicates that about 3,500 children died in gun-related incidents.” This has to stop.

Gun violence is a problem because school shootings are happening very often. According to Stastista, “from 2000 to 2022, a total number of 777 high schools had shootings in the United States. In comparison, 320 elementary schools and 162 middle or junior high schools had shootings within that time period.” Whether it happens because of someone's mental health issue, or just violent rage, we are seeing an immense rise of gun violence in schools. In addition to that, the families of victims have to suffer the aftermath of these shootings. No parent should have to bury their child. Survivors can also suffer from mental health issues due to the shootings, and will have to cope with the trauma of seeing their peers have been hurt. There has to be ways to solve this problem. 

One solution is higher quality security and cameras in schools. This may help schools by making it harder for shooters to enter the building with a weapon. Another solution is ensuring there are laws that allow for checks and safeguard before allowing someone to purchase a gun. Gun violence is horrible in itself, but children are the future, and keeping children safe should be our top priority.

Violet Hardy, Brielle Holton, and Kalliegh Bagwell are 6th grade scholars at Friendship Southeast Academy.