Education: Schools & Violence

A majority of American teens say they are very or somewhat worried about the possibility of a shooting happening at their school – and most parents of teens share that concern, according to new Pew Research Center surveys of teens ages 13 to 17 and parents with children in the same age range.

This paper reports the results of two studies of the impact of gun control measures on violent criminal behavior among persons age 18 to 20.

The controversy over guns and their standing in American society becomes no more fervent than when it centers on youth— those under 20 years of age, especially those in the teenage years. In the past two decades, high-profile shooting sprees in which the shooters are teenage boys have become a near annual event. The most shocking occurred in 1998 in Littleton, Colorado, where two Columbine High School students killed 12 fellow students, one teacher, and then themselves.

Would they make colleges safer?
By Christina L. Lyons
Mass shootings at colleges and universities are spurring lawmakers in a growing number of states to consider allowing students, faculty and others to carry concealed firearms on campus. The American public is evenly split on the issue.

from The Trace

In the wake of highly publicized school shooting incidents, lawmakers in several states have proposed legislation that allows the carrying of concealed firearms on college campuses. As the debate over concealed firearms continues in the political arena, little attention has been given to the opinions of students who are directly affected by the bill. The present study examined the opinions of college students regarding the legalization of concealed carry weapons (CCW) on college campuses.

Students and faculty members at public and private universities in Texas could be allowed to carry concealed handguns into classrooms, dormitories and other buildings under a bill passed over the weekend by the Republican-dominated Legislature. The measure is being hailed as a victory by gun rights advocates and criticized by many students and professors as irresponsible and unnecessary.

Guns in America is an unprecedented exploration of America's enduring relationship with firearms. It will trace the evolution of guns in America, their inextricable link to violence, and the clash of cultures that reflect competing visions of our national identity.

Living for 32 vividly portrays the reality of the Virginia Tech shootings and raises important questions about the effectiveness of current gun laws and other efforts to curb gun violence in America.

A documentary that casts a penetrating look at the consequences of the death penalty through three powerful stories - the rare perspective of a former state executioner who comes within days of executing an innocent person; a Boston Marathon bombing victim who struggles to decide what justice really means; and the parents of a murder victim who choose to fight for the life of their daughter's killer.

As early as 2007 states began allowing school districts to allow teachers to carry guns.

"Educators still reeling from gun violence that left 17 dead at a Florida high school expressed frustration Thursday [Feb. 22, 2018] at President Trump's call for teachers to take up arms to defend their classrooms against school shooters, saying the thought of using lethal force in a crowded hallway or against one of their students was unimaginable.

The National Education Association is a large organization in the US that supports K12 teachers.