Saving our students: Ending school violence

If it feels like you have been inundated lately with an onslaught of news about youth violence in Iowa schools, you’re not mistaken. Cedar Rapids Schools closed for a full school day in October following social media threats toward a list of students, some as young as the sixth grade. In late December, a Fremont county teen was charged with seven felony counts of threats of terrorism after she released a “hit list” of fellow students on the social media app Snapchat. Just this week, students in Perry have begun a staggered return to classes after a school shooting that rocked the small town, leaving 6 injured and 3 dead.

The increase in high profile incidents of school violence hasn’t been limited to Iowa; trouble has been brewing all over the country, in rural and urban areas alike. A third of schools nationwide reported increases in bullying, physical attacks or fights, or threats of physical violence; 6% reported an increase in hate crimes. There has been some speculation as to the contributing factors at play, ranging from lingering mental health effects of the Coronavirus pandemic to a failure of restorative justice efforts. The CDC has identified bullying as a contributing factor to violence and mental health problems, and there is no shortage of commentary on the decrease in funding for services exacerbating the youth mental health crisis.

In 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory defining the state of youth mental health as a crisis. The advisory provided suggestions for actions that can be taken by communities, corporations, family members, health care organizations, governments and schools to improve the plight of our young. It is critical to note that all of the above entities have an impact, and that schools alone can not and should not bear the burden of alleviating what has become an emergency situation.

At the time of this writing, the mother of a school shooter in Michigan is standing trial for her alleged culpability in his 2021 crime. This is the first time the parents of a school shooter have faced accountability in a court of law for the actions of their child - and the result may change the way we perceive responsibility for these incidents. When the Columbine school shooting happened, I was in high school. My classmates and I were stunned that such an act could take place. Movies were made about the tragedy, musicians and video games were made scapegoats, parents hugged their children tighter and wondered at the evils of the world. Mass shootings, particularly in schools, have become so commonplace that they rarely dominate the news cycle the way that Columbine did. The laws governing possession of firearms have not changed in a way that might have a significant impact on decreasing the incidence of high profile school violence, but perhaps holding parents accountable will prove a more effective motivator to collectively push for action through all of the avenues suggested by Dr. Murthy in 2021.

There is much that schools can do, and to their credit, many of the school districts in the corridor have designated individuals tasked with improving equity, addressing bullying, and serving as a point of contact for students who have become aware of a potential threat. Student interest groups now often include clubs focused on celebrating diversity and improving an equitable student experience. School boards and administrators are discussing, strategizing, and implementing services to support students - including partnerships with mental health providers who may even co-locate onsite to eliminate the logistical barriers presented by mid-day therapy visits for families with limited means or access to transportation.

Tip lines for reporting potential threats to schools and students have been cropping up around the country. Michigan has implemented the Ok2Say tip line, The Maryland Center for School Safety has created another, and Iowa has launched its own app-based version. Over half of states with active tip lines have reported that they have successfully prevented violent incidents, and 30% cite the anonymous lines as an effective way to help curb bullying.

Above and beyond these, many schools are providing space within their walls to house food pantries and allow social service providers to meet students - and parents - where they are. The work to address these issues within a space where families already feel connected and safe is critical to ensuring that those who need help actually get it.

I must reiterate: the burden of eliminating school shootings in this nation cannot be placed on the schools alone, and without even the consistent and ample resources necessary to do what they are able. We all have a role to play in this work - our elected officials, our government, our industries, our community, and our families alike.

There is cause for hope. The last thing we need is another voice added to the throngs screaming their despair into the abyss. I will close instead with this: Standing silently by and lamenting another tragedy without taking action is negligence on our part as the adults charged with the transfer of power to the village children we are raising. The more we acknowledge that mental health challenges can affect anyone, anywhere, at any time, and the less we demonize people experiencing mental health crises, the more we have the ability to identify our own roles in creating a community that we are proud of and inspired by.

Sofia DeMartino is a Gazette editorial fellow. sofia.demartino@thegazette.com