The fear that keeps us up at night

Waking up one morning, kissing your family goodbye as they get ready to start the day. You arrive at school and you are in your third-period class. The principal puts the whole school on shelter-in-place and lockdown is next. You sit in a dark classroom in the designated area for lockdown only to hear gunshots. You begin to cry and cower in fear because you can’t tell whether or not your life will come to an end. If you would ever see your loved ones again. You lower your voice and call your mother to say your very last words “ I love you, Mommy.” The shooter violently enters the class and everything becomes silent. The only voice that fills the room is a crying and yelling mother on the phone.

    Many students and families all over the United States fear for their child’s life. This year, many citizens commemorate the lives that were lost in the Parkland shooting in Florida. It marks the fifth year since this tragedy occurred. Nikolas Cruz, who was 19 at the time, opened fire at 3:18 pm on Valentine’s Day. Throughout the school, 14 were injured and 17 were killed that day. Cruz was charged with life in prison without possibility of parole. This massacre left many victims with life-threatening injuries or mental issues such as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.  

  According to edweek.org, “in the United States, over 2,032 schools have been impacted by school shootings since the 1970s”. “Last year, 51 school shootings happened, making 2022 the most dangerous school year in U.S. history.”

Sending your child to school should be a normal thing but now many families and teachers are trying to keep students safe.  

According to the Washington Post, school boards are installing bulletproof windows and whiteboards in an effort to keep students safe. Now that school shootings occur frequently, school boards all over the U.S. are enforcing biweekly lockdown procedures. 

Gun violence correlates with school shootings because most of the perpetrators are carrying unregistered guns. According to Campussafteymagazine.com, 70% percent of school shootings are caused by an unregistered gun. 

 In some places, schools may not even feel like a safe space anymore. Hopefully, as 

time goes on, the government will enforce stricter safety regulations and provide a better learning environment for children.