School shootings are terrifying and a big problem in today’s society. The United States has had 57 times as many school shootings as the world’s other nations combined. We students should never have to fear going to school; the thought of walking in the front doors and not going home at the end of the day shouldn’t ever have to be a thought that crosses our minds. The school’s staff shouldn’t have to worry for both their lives and those of their students, and our parents should never have to worry about whether we’re going to make it home alive at the end of the school day.This should not be a student’s biggest concern. But this is our reality, and it’s a terrifying one. School is supposed to be our safe place, but how are we supposed to feel safe when gun violence in schools is still on rise?

Families are losing their kids to gun violence and we all need to stand up and make something happen. In the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, one of the deadliest school shootings in the United States, 13 students were killed and more than 20 were injured. In the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, 20 first-graders were killed along with 6 school employees. 

It has been over 20 years and it is still continuing. These shooters feel absolutely no remorse and are leaving the families of killed and injured students heartbroken, with no explanation and no justice. 

What causes this awful trend of violence? Is it mental health problems? If it is because of mental health, then mental health help today needs to be prioritized and accessible. Social media also plays a big role in glorifying guns, gangs, violence, and fighting. You see guns and shootings being posted everyday, whether it’s on Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, or Snapchat. Some kids today think that they’re cool without realizing the real life consequences of trying to “gang bang.” 

This needs to be a continuous conversation and not forgotten a couple weeks after a school shooting happens. Students are traumatized, living in fear of walking into school in the morning and not walking back out. We are losing our classmates, our friends, and our family because nothing is being done to help stop this school shooting crisis.  

If you see someone struggling, a change in someone’s behavior, or hear someone talking about wanting to do something to themselves or others, reach out and tell an adult. 

And if you’re struggling yourself, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. It may not always seem like it, but adults care, and they want to help.

Isabel Rivas is a guest writer for this issue. If you are interested in writing a guest piece for The Tempest, contact our advisor Kelly Gade.

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