Cho Seung-Hui, a twenty three year old Virginia tech student killed two in a dormitory, and thirty more in classrooms only two hours later. His suicide brought the death toll on April 18th, 2007 to thirty three, making this the most deadly rampage in US history. To date, there has been almost fifty school shootings all around the world, the first in Moses Lake Washington when 14 year old Barry Loukaitis opened fire on his algebra class, killing his teacher and two students.
Who is to blame?
Who is to blame when these shootings occur? Many people have different opinions on what exactly causes them, from music like Marilyn Manson to the way parents raise their children from youth. A popular belief is that music that promotes "satanism" such as Marilyn Manson and Slayer, and that their lyrics, subliminal or not, cause teenagers and young adults to act out in the violent ways that the music apparently tells them to. Another popular target has been Stephen King; many of his books have been pulled from shelves in school libraries across North America citing that his novels offer many different violent scenarios in which people are killed.
But, to some extent, everyone can say the parents are to blame. Some children though, as they grow into adults, cannot be fixed just by groundings or taking away the car keys. There are many mental health issues that go undiagnosed in North America every year, and some psychologists believe the school shootings may be a result of these unresolved issues. There is no way to say for certain why the students do it though, and all the students who do decide to shoot their peers usually turn the gun on themselves afterwards.
Why?
There is no sure answer for why these school shootings happen. Many students who are involved in the shootings are said to be "social outcasts", and sometimes, this is their last cry of attention before they turn a weapon on themselves and take their lives. The shooters are said to have felt betrayed by society, turning their weapons on the ones who make their social outcast status true everyday. Although, they often target random people, lashing out at everyone instead of trying to track down only the ones that have hurt the shooter, or made them feel like an outcast. Some do not have anyone to turn to, or do not feel they do, even though they may have close friends or parents that have raised them right.
How to keep students safe
Many schools in the United States have permanently closed some entrances to the school, providing only a handful of main entrances that are closely monitored. Many schools have all well populated halls, as well as any halls with lockers monitored by cameras that are both visible, and hidden. New schools being built are looking more towards a ranch-style design, one floor of the school spread out amongst a larger property. Some other schools are being rebuilt to limit hidden areas and open up the school more so it is easier to see the students.
Administrative officers are now seen patrolling the halls where once there were no officers or cameras. Some schools even have the ability to lock doors by the push of a button from a central command center, usually the office or wherever the security offices are located in the school. Sometimes it is the simple attention to detail that will make all the difference in the life and death situations such as school shootings.
