The violence problem in education
Remember back some years ago to your very first day of school-- for some it’s kindergarten and others it’s preschool. How did you feel as you entered the new environment? Were you scared to be away from your parents? Were you nervous, timid, or anxious or were you lonely because you didn’t know anyone? As time progressed, did you learn to become comfortable with your new surroundings? Did you acquire a sense of safety?
Schools are suppose to be a place for children to learn and be comfortable. Students should not have to worry about their safety or violent occurrences such as shootings and stabbings while they are in an educational facility. Statistics show that in America school violence is a major problem in education today.
Do you remember the day of the horrific catastrophe of Columbine, which is one of the most vivid school shootings in history? Imagine going to school and seeing this. How would you react?
In this one incident, thirteen students fell victim to the two shooters, who idolized Hitler. Researchers say they left signals days before the attack that should have given clue to authorities. Pieces of the violence were included in a writing that one of the students turned in, but how was the teacher supposed to know whether to take this seriously or if the child was just subject to violence at home, which influenced his writing?
Many organizations have been established to help eliminate the problem of violence. Programs such as DARE are incorporated in schools to teach students about how to handle problems in other ways than relying on violence. Guidance counselors are available to talk to students about problems as well. Some schools rely on student and faculty id cards or metal detectors at the school entrances to eliminate school violence. The problem with this is expense. These strategies are great ways to prevent some violence, but what else can be done about this major educational problem?
21 comments:
I definitely agree with you Lauren. Recently at my old high school there was an incident were a girl was threatening the school saying that there was a bomb in the school. Fortunately it wasnt true but imagine if it would have been. Hundreds of students and teachers that I know would have been killed. School violence is a major problem in this country and I think that after the Columbine shootings the school violence has increased but also has school safety. Yet I think that the government has to do alot more than just assign id's or create programs to stop violence. I think that a huge cause for school violence is bullies. Teenagers who think they are so much better than others start picking on those who dont mess with anyone. I dont justify the violence but I think that teachers need to pay more attention with what goes on in their classrooms or in the school.
Yes I can remember when I first went to school, i was so scared and did not want my mother to leave. I agree that school should be a place of safety and students should feel comfortable. I think that students should have a peer-to-peer session with one another and discuss any problems they may have with one another. This is will cut down on the violence between students becasue it would allow students to tell one another how they feel, rather than holding in their emotions.
It's really easy to point fingers with problems like school violence. Personally, I think the major factor of a child's disposition (and therefore how he reacts to situations; ie whether or not they take drastic actions [weaponry] to counter a bully)is how the child is raised. Basically, I think the first place that needs to be changed is the child's home life.
My mother's a teacher (I went to private school, so I can't say anything from personal experience) and I know that if parents took a more active role in her students' lives, actually took control of their child and applied punishment (not abuse), then the child would learn proper ways to interact with society and to behave.
Though it is hard to believe, the experiences, including overcoming childhood violence, makes us who we are today. The next step is to determine how to keep early school violence at a low to keep students from going overboard.
I agree with you Wendy, I really think that one's values and behavior towards violence come from home. Parents are the ones who should we blame. Nobody gets born as a violent person.
I also agree with you Lauren. When I was in high school there was a incident that took place with this boy. He got jumped because he didn't fit into the group. He got beat up because of a gang related incident. I wish their was more we as college students can do for our schools back home. Students need to focus on getting an education then violence does not help nor prevent something from happening.
School violence is a major problem in schools all over the world. I agree with Aunnika on the idea of peer-to-peer because students need to interact with one another and discuss their problems. School violence is usually done by outcasts because they are lonely, and don't have much friends. Peer-to-peer would definitely cut back on these violent acts.
I agree with Tyler B. on this subject. We need to move forward on the issue and give more focus on preventing it from happening again. Although I dont think its a major educational issue but more of a persons direct enviroment and behaviors outside of class that leads them to act such ways in the school setting.
I agree with you Lauren,my senior year in high school one of my fellow classmates had been getting teased from a couple of other seniors and on the day of his 18th birthday he decided that he would shoot the 18 people who had been messing with him. Luckly for our high school some people overheard him talking the day before it was suppose to happen and his was arrest and not able to graduate or even return back to the school. So after seeing first hand what could have happened I believe that school violence is gradually increasing.
I totally agree with you Lauren. I remember when I first went to school. I was terrified. Leaving my mother for a long preiod of time was something i didn't wanna do.
I also remember first hearing about that Columbine shooting. I was terrified for those that were in that situation and also relieved that i wasn't there.
Schools are suppposed to be somewhere to feel safe. I think when a situation arises where violence could occur, a teacher or somebody that has true authority (like a school resource officer) should step in to resolve the situation before it actually starts.
I also agree with you Lauren. I get shocked when I hear on the news that an eight grader got suspended after bring drugs or a gun to school...simply because well they are so young. I vividly remember the Columbine shooting and watching it on the news, which as you said lead the schools to be stricter and more aware of violence.
I also agree with Lyetth when she said that teachers need to take a more active role and be alert to the signs that a student can be violent.
I recently watched an account of what happened during the Columbine shooting on the history channel and during the shooting, one of the shooters parents called the police and told them,"I think my son is one of the shooters, he's part of some group called the trenchcoat mafia" now if the parent knew this before why didn't he stop it or talk to his son? I think that if the parents and teachers work together in both discipline and listening that the problem won't turn into a something as horrible as Columbine.
It is very sad to see where the world is going with all this violence, specially in schools. But I must say that it is not always because of how the children were taught at home. It does matter to have good values at home, but at the end the child is the one who takes his or her own decisions.
I agree with Adam. School behaviors a lot of the time come from the outside enviroment. Students with bring to school what they learn on the streets. This is what disrupts the education process.
Sherrick,I think it is a great idea for students to interact with one another, but i'm unaware of how the peer-to-peer confrences work. Did your school participate in this kind of program or was this just an original idea of yours? How does this kind of program work?
Like you said Lauren, school is supposed to be safe, but it's both the teachers and the students fault. Once upon a time ago teachers were concerned about what went on at home. You said the student gave a clue in his writing, but the teacher thought it was a problem at home. If the teacher thought this, it should have been checked on or brought to someone's attention. You say that metal detectors and things of that nature need to be in schools but it can't because of expenses. We confuse school with prison. I'm sure there is some other way besides all that.
I agree with you all. I know that in my high school we had at least two bomb threats throughout my four years. School violence is a serious problem and needs to be fixed.
I agree with Wendy; parents should take part in their kid's lives and enforce disciplinary actions when their kids misbehave. The way kids are has a lot to do with how they were raised.
For example, I know two people who let their kids do as they please while they were little, and who laughed when their kids cussed; now that the kids are older, they are uncontrollable and disrespectful.
The bad thing about the situation is that the parents cannot understand why their disrespectful kids constantly get into trouble.
The only thing to blame for the kid’s bad behavior is the way that they were raised.
Lauren I thought your blog was great. I believe violence is such a main factor is school that needs to be delt with. In my house school we didn't go a semester with out a bomb threat, or a huge fight breaking out.I thought this was so funny, because we were the red carpet school, we had the highest SAT and ACT scores through the district and county. Even though a school may look perfect on the outside and may have the highest grades on the school report cards, they still have bumps in the road when it comes to minimizing violence in the school.
I know exactly where you're coming from Nathalie. I come from the rougher part of my city and there are always fights. We would ten police officers at our school just to maintain the peace; we've also had several people bring guns to our school, one even had a death list. It's very discouraging sometimes.
Vuokko, you are a hundred percent correct. Parents are responsible for a child’s upbringing. If the child ends up being violent then parent have failed their responsibility of being a good parent.
I completley agree wit Jamie. You become what your parents expose you to.
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