School Violence

School Violence

A wave of senseless killings and violent threats hounded American schools for the last seven years . The year 1999 and 2007 will be remembered by many Americans because two of the deadliest school shootings took place claiming the lives of 48 students and wounding 53 others . The Columbine High School massacre (15 deaths and 24 wounded ) of April 20 , 1999 and the Virginia Tech massacre (33 deaths and 29 wounded of April 16 , 2007 marked another record in the history of school violence in the United States shocking the entire

nation and the international community . A nightmare both parents and children have to live with . However , these mass murders are not new because there is a long list of shooting rampage in schools dating back towards the end of the 1920s . Besides shooting , students also experience other forms of school violence such as theft , robbery , rape , and aggravated assault . A school is considered to be a secured environment for learning next to homes but incidents of violence rampant in most schools have led many to ask how safe are our schools today ? The effects of violence on both individual students and on the learning environment can be devastating Those who are victims of violence , or witness violent acts , or live in fear of being victimized can suffer an array of consequences ranging from an inability to concentrate to dropping out of school (NASBE 1994 ,

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In the past , teachers usually dealt with students who were always late talkative , and chewed gums . Now they deal with students who possess drugs , members of gangs , and carry weapons . Statistics on youths involve in criminal activities in and outside the school are very alarming according to law enforcement agencies . The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI ) reported that from the year 2000 to 2004 , there were 589 ,534 incidents of school violence perpetuated by 688 ,612 offenders wherein 181 ,468 were apprehended . Most of the offenders were boys 13 to 15 years old . Choice of weapons included knives and guns , as well as fists , hands and feet . It has become easy for youths , especially in rural areas , to acquire guns and bring them to school through backpacks and kept in lockers ready for use anytime . In April 30 , 2000 , a six-year old boy shot his first grade classmate in Michigan . The people were outraged on how such a young child could use a gun and become a killer Students can buy guns off the street for as little as 25 or borrow them from parents . Students might then carry weapons to school to show off , protect themselves , seek revenge on someone else , or participate in gang-or drug-related activities . Peer pressure is a factor , too if a youth 's friends begin to carry weapons , he or she may also want or feel the need to carry one (Kadel , Watkins , Follman Hammond , 1999 ,

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This table is compiled by the FBI on its five-year Synopsis of Crime in Schools and Colleges . It is...