Preventative measures that can help alleviate the number of school shootings

School shootings occur across the United States of America more often than not. The suspects in these horrific shootings are usually students with the exception of three that happened last year. Out of the 24 total school shootings the occurred last year 14 of them involved suspects who were between 14 and 17 years old. Kids endure a lot on a day to day basis they are required to perform at high levels academically. Some students are bullied for achieving academic success. Then there are kids who experience abuse at home and are traumatized and are too afraid to talk to anyone about what they went through. After a while the trauma is too much to bear and these kids end up shooting up the schools they attend.

One preventative measure that should be taken by schools is to hire quality school counselors and an abundance of them. Having a surplus of school counselors can decrease school violence. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services one in five children and adolescents experience a mental health problem during their years of going to school. At certain schools one counselor will be responsible for servicing one hundred students. The Counseling Today website states the national average counselor to student ratio is 455:1. Furthermore, this proves why having ample school counselors on school campuses across America is vital to helping students cope with their mental health issues. Having more counselors on school campuses will help prevent school shootings because counselors are people students can confide in. Parents taking extra time to converse with their children are also helping alleviate the amount of school shooting in America.

Parents across America please pay attention to the following warning signs because they may be an indication your child will become a school shooter:

• Difficulty eating or sleeping

• abuse of animals

• lack of interaction with others

• threats of serious violence

There are other warning signs but these are the ones stand out the most. Most parents across the US spend time talking with their children asking about their day. Having a strong parent to student rapport is important in ensuring students feel loved which means they are less likely to rebel.

In conclusion, every school in the United States of America should make it their business to make sure they have enough mental health personnel to service students. Parents can do their part in helping alleviate the occurrence of school shootings by paying attention to their children behavior. If your child is having difficulty eating or sleeping, abusing animals for no apparent reason, lack social skills, and make serious violent threats be aware there is a chance they could ultimately end up a school shooter. The purpose of this article is not to label children who exhibit certain behaviors as possible school shooters but to bring awareness of there is a possibility the correlation between the aforementioned behavior and school shooters is something be mindful of.