It’s a scene that is repeated in schools all over America with an alarming frequency – an intruder enters with a gun and at the other side of the classroom is a child. They’re a kid with dreams that will never come true. The next day, this child will be a headline on national television. But a moment after that, the tragedy is entirely forgotten. A new piece of celebrity gossip takes its place in the news, an advertisement on political candidates plays next, a mainstream musician announces an album, and the public’s attention rapidly shifts to the next distraction. The process simply repeats, over and over and over again. While families compose obituaries, write headstone inscriptions, and grieve in a state of silence and loneliness, the rest of the country moves on. Media commentators on one side label incidents like this as sick and twisted, while other talking heads only mumble, “That’s how life goes.” Teenagers crack jokes as a coping mechanism and criticize those who don’t understand their sense of ‘dark humor.’ Tragedies like these happen so often in U.S. society that Americans don’t even begin to realize that they are hurting – hurting each other and themselves. Because of this neglect and apathy, experts who study the situation believe children in America are the ones paying the price.
IT HAPPENS SO OFTEN, AMERICANS ARE BECOMING NUMB
In the headlines and throughout the news, evidence of gun violence is almost everywhere in America today. This includes schools, where students, teachers and staff can’t get away from it. Researchers believe being immersed in an environment like this has caused gun abuse to be normalized in everyday life.
Sophomore Gabriella Macias is one of those who are concerned with the consequences of exposure to media reports surrounding gun violence and abuse.
“I do find myself and others becoming desensitized. I try to stay hyperaware of the families and lives of the victims when I hear about their stories,” Macias said. “Although I cannot speak for them, I feel that people who do not care for gun control do not care, because they don’t try to feel empathy and instead consume these news stories impersonally and without the awareness that these victims are real people.”
Mental health professionals are troubled by how gun violence has directly affected our perception of tragedy. Eric Wood, a licensed clinical counselor with more than 35 years of experience working with teens and adolescents, has studied the effects of the phenomenon.
“We’re all desensitized to what’s happening, and we’re also directed by the media to attend to what they want us to attend to, what they think is important,” Wood said.
NHS resource officer Jason Shonkwiler has seen first-hand how violent content has changed society’s views. He believes the media plays a big part in how society views gun violence and violence as a whole.
“We watch violent shows, we play violent games, and we are desensitized to the event. What is not shown in movies and games is the impact on the victim and their families. This is a huge problem because it takes the human element out of reactions,” Shonkwiler said.
Other factors that affect students’ reactions to violence can be found not only in popular media, but also in modern experiences like the drills children have been doing since kindergarten. Wood thinks the psychological effects of activities like ALICE drills may have unintended consequences for the youth.
“You’re being trained in a similar sense to any soldier facing combat. And there’s a certain aspect of that that is dehumanizing,” Wood said.
School administrators say that active shooter drills are important for preparing students. Wood compares these drills to actual combat training.
“I’ve had veterans in my family, and I understand some of the psychological training that they go through to be prepared to potentially sacrifice their lives in battle,” Wood said. “It does require them to take a little bit of their humanity and put it on hold. You can’t ask children to do the same and expect that they’re going to be fine. They’re not going to be fine.”
EVERYONE IS HURTING – NOT JUST KIDS
Teachers and staff in a school are also impacted by the lingering issue of gun violence. Facing the same fears as students, educators must also be psychologically equipped to handle such a situation. Along with protecting themselves, teachers also have dozens of other lives that rely on them.
As a result of these pressures, future teachers have new things to consider when entering the field. Junior Reise Lidstrom dreams of pursuing a career in education. However, the fear of an active shooter always lies in the back of her mind.
“As a person who aspires to become a teacher, it makes me scared for how I’d deal with a situation like that while trying to stay calm and keep 25 9-year-olds safe,” Lidstrom said.
Outsiders, such as Wood, have seen a different side of the story than students in the building have. Despite the positive attitudes teachers may present to their students, Wood believes that the mental impact can run deeper.
“I know it has traumatized [educators]. I have friends who are teachers, and I know what they’re dealing with is beyond reason,” Wood said. “I guarantee there was never a class when [they were] in school that prepared [them] for having to protect students from gun violence in a classroom.”
Bob Dobson, a mental health and addictions counselor, also understands that the expectations for teachers have become extreme.
“Teachers have somehow become educators, mentors, developmental specialists, translators, and even protectors. No one should be expected to encompass all these titles,” Dobson said.
In addition to educators, the lives of school resource officers (SROs) have also changed, particularly within the last decade according to Shonkwiler. He says that his career has not always looked the same as it does today.
“I served in a combat unit for five years. I have seen all sides of violence. If anything, it has strengthened my resolve to not allow anyone to be a victim as long as I am around,” Shonkwiler said.
At the end of the day, Shonkwiler says, if any NHS students and staff ever feel unsafe, he emphasizes that he and his colleagues are here to ensure everyone’s safety.
“The kids and staff here are amazing and I love [them] all. There isn’t a thing that I – or the other SROs – would not do for all of [them],” Shonkwiler said.
FACING THE TRAGEDY, HOW CAN WE MOVE FORWARD?
For many students, the topic of gun violence has become more than just statistics and headlines in the news or a social media feed— it has become a daily fear that shapes and forms how they live and learn. Yet even in the face of tragedies that appear so frequently today, there is a growing call to act, intervene, and to rebuild a sense of safety and advocacy. Voices from the students consumed by fear, traumatized teachers, and other school staff members all echo the same belief: it’s time to do something.
Sophomore Arlene Benitez understands the feeling that many students in America today experience. She believes that change should happen starting now.
“Everybody should try and do something about it. We should try and stop it so less people are scared,” Benitez said. “Guns should be used to protect, not harm somebody. There should be more restricted access on [gun purchases].”
For students who may feel powerless against something so much larger than their day-to-day life, Dobson explains that seeking help is vital to moving forward.
“The core goal is to learn how to regain a sense of control and grow from life events that are beyond [one’s] control,” Dobson said. “I always recommend a person struggling with trauma symptoms to find a skilled professional to help navigate the healing process.”
Even with counselors and therapists who are available to help victims in tragedies manage their grief and trauma, some students worry about the psychological impacts of gun violence that have affected their senses of safety and hope.
“It has simply become an unsafe environment, and guns are the cause of that. It makes me sad that some people value a gun over the next generations’ lives,” Lidstrom said.
Mental health professionals say that no matter who is involved, everyone has to deal with the physiological effects, the desensitization, hyper-awareness, and PTSD (post traumatic sensitive disorder). Students increasingly recognize and understand the fear that has come out as a result of exposure to repeated tragedies. While anxiety and grief are commonly shared emotions, Shonkwiler believes open conversation and empathy may be one of the keys to healing and prevention.
“Learn to disagree. In the end, violence does not solve anything, it just produces more violence. It is ok to disagree and to talk about it,” Shonkwiler said. “Sometimes the hardest thing is to just be human to each other.”
