Teacher Advocacy Project 1

Teacher Advocacy Project: Gun Violence in Schools

Claire N. Williamson

Arizona State University SED 322

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Abstract

This paper introduces the controversial issue of gun violence in our nation’s schools. In

the introduction, the explanation of the problem regarding gun violence in schools, is coupled

with possible solutions and what teachers can do to directly affect students and to avoid gun

violence in their classrooms and schools. In the environment analysis, there are different ideas in

what teachers can do in their own classrooms, what staff and students can do on their school

campuses, and what communities can do as a whole in order to prevent Gun Violence in schools.
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Teacher Advocacy Project: Gun Violence in Schools

Introduction

As teachers it is important to give our attention to what is going on in campuses all over

our nation. Gun Violence has increased since the ‘99 Columbine High shooting, and it has gotten

to the point where many people are not as affected by it any more. Teachers, administration, and

parents and guardians need to be aware of what our students are doing and how they are feeling

in order to put an end to Gun Violence in our nation’s schools.

Background of the Problem

One of the first major incidents that comes to many people's’ minds when they think of

Gun Violence in schools is the 1999 Columbine High School shooting. On that April day, two

male students came into the school and started shooting. The two boys killed 13 people, and

injured more than 20 others. Since then, there have been numerous other school shootings. The

major school shootings since Columbine High School have been the 2001 Santana High

shooting, the 2005 Red Lake Senior High shooting, the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, the 2008

Northern Illinois University shooting, the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, the 2014

Florida State University shooting, the 2015 Umpqua Community College shooting, the 2015

Northern Arizona University shooting, and the most recent 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas

High School.

Stakeholders Involved

Gun Violence can be a problem that is stemmed from relationships between students,

teachers, and school staff, community involvement and influence, and teacher activism in Public

Education or lack thereof. There are multiple stakeholders within the problem of Gun Violence
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in schools. The stakeholders are, but not limited to: students, parents, teachers, school staff and

administration, media, state and federal law enforcement, and first responders.

Existing Challenges and Potential Barriers

There are quite a few existing challenges that play a part in Gun Violence in schools.

Some of the challenges derive from mental health conditions and stigma, others from bullying

among peers and even from teachers and school staff, and just pure stress of everyday life. These

challenges can become the causes of Gun Violence in school, and there are existing challenges

for when these tragedies arise. When schools do not have set protocols, and proper training for

emergencies. Another challenge is having proper firearm and self defense training for students,

teachers and school staff and administration.

There are multiple potential barriers in resolving the problem of Gun Violence in schools

in today’s society. One barrier can be state and federal laws. A second barrier could be the way

parents and communities react and feel towards firearms. Not only how parents feel about

firearms, but just the simple relationship between students and their parents can be a potential

barrier. A third potential barrier can be students own knowledge and access of weapons.

Possible Solutions

I think that there are a few possible solutions to help stop Gun Violence in schools. First,

would be having multiple resources for students and staff for stress management, and therapy for

those who are struggling with anything. Providing classes and training in self defense and

firearm safety to staff and students can also allow them to feel safer while on campus, and in

their community.
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A second possible solution is to allow teachers to carry concealed weapons if they are

licensed or permitted to do so. This possible solution is a very heated debate topic in today’s

society. Many teachers believe that carrying a firearm with them would make them less worried,

and help to make the school safer in the event of Gun Violence on campus. But, at the same time

many teachers, and students believe that allowing teachers to carry a firearm on them can make

conflicts much more volatile.

A third possible solution is to have armed security on school campuses, stricter access

points on campuses and metal detectors at the entrances of schools. Having specific people on

campus who everyone knows has a firearm on them, can have a positive effect and a negative

effect in the atmosphere of the school. The positive effects might be: staff and students feel safer

because someone will be on campus who can defend them in the case of a shooter on campus,

knowing that only someone who is trained and certified with firearms can give students and staff

peace of mind because they would not be wondering which teachers are carrying or not. The

negative effects might be: staff and students may be worried that the person who is carrying

could have a bad day and might make use the firearm for bad, rather than good, and many

students and staff are not comfortable around firearms which can lead to distractions and stress.
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Environment Analysis

As teachers it is important to think about and to foster daily activities and characteristics

within our classrooms to make our students feel safe, respected and important parts of our

communities. There are different steps in which teachers, schools and districts can take in order

to help students and to avoid Gun Violence in the schools. At the same time, there are negative

factors which can lead to more students and more people dying and getting hurt because of Gun

Violence in our nation’s schools.

Internal Strengths

There are multiple levels of internal strengths, the strengths in the classroom, the

strengths in the school, and the strengths in the district. The internal strengths in the classroom

can be the relationships between a teacher and their students. A teacher can make their students

feel important, and feel like they have a voice in the classroom. When a teacher can make their

classroom inviting and welcoming, students can feel more at ease and more relaxed. The internal

strengths in the schools are that they practice emergency situations, and teach the students what

they need to do in order to stay safe, during emergencies. The internal strengths in districts can

be having and utilizing procedures and policies to report suspicions or worries about staff and

students, and some districts have funding in order to provide counselors to staff and students.

Internal Weaknesses

There are multiple levels of internal weaknesses, the weaknesses in the classroom, the

weaknesses in the school, and the weaknesses in the district. The possible weakness in the

classroom can be that the number of students outweigh the number of teachers, which can lead to

students not receiving the attention that they need. When students are not able to have one on one
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attention with the teacher, they are unable to have a meaningful relationship with that teacher,

which can lead to discontent in the classroom. The possible weaknesses in the school can be that

the campus is not secure, and not having trained counselors available to staff and students.

Having to many entrances and exits can lead to not being able to close campus quickly and can

lead to people coming onto campus who are not supposed to be there. Not having trained

counselors for staff and students can result in both not knowing how to deal with stress, not

having someone to confide in, and can lead to both not knowing how to cope with their

emotions. The possible weaknesses in districts can be lack of emergency planning, and not

having enough funds to properly take care of their schools, staff and students.

External Opportunities:

The community that a school is in, and today’s society can have a very powerful effect on

students and staff at schools in a positive manner. An external opportunity can be local training

and educational classes about firearms, and how to use them safely. Another route, can be self

defense classes. A second external opportunity can be the regulations on firearms and those who

can purchase and use firearms. Making sure that people with mental illnesses, and criminal

records are unable to obtain a firearm can really help make positive impacts on communities.

External Challenges:

As many positive effects a community and today’s society can make, they can also have

very large negative impacts as well. There are multiple factors in which can lead to external

challenges in avoiding Gun Violence in schools, some of them are the media, politics, and the

local community. Media has a very big influence over students, which can lead to students

having misconceptions about what is happening in the world and their communities. These
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misconceptions lead to emotions and thoughts that the students are unable to cope with which

could lead to self harm or Gun Violence. Politicians can also stand as an external challenge in

avoiding gun violence because of the laws in which they make and pass that allow firearms to

land in the wrong person’s hands. The local community can also be an external challenge

because of their personal views about the education system, about firearms, and the lack of

respect and positive communal spaces and events.

Stakeholder Analysis

Gun Violence in schools can be affected by the people who are involved, and the

different aspects of society that are surrounding students today. There are multiple stakeholders

within the issue of Gun Violence in schools. These stakeholders could either help or make the

problem worse for our students and school staff.

Who are the Stakeholders

The issue of Gun Violence in schools involves many different people and groups of

people. The stakeholders are, but not limited to: students, parents, teachers, school staff and

administration, media, the National Rifle Association, local and federal government, state and

federal law enforcement, and first responders.

Students. ​ Students can either be the offenders or the victims in the case of Gun Violence

in schools. Students are the focus when it comes to Gun Violence in schools.

Teachers, School Staff, and Administration. ​Teachers, and school staff we have to

protect our students. In many school shootings there have been many teachers or school staff that

have given their lives in order to protect their students.

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The Media. ​News outlets, and social media sites give coverage of the stories during and

after school shootings. Media can do good by giving resources to our society for mental health,

and information about self defense. But, media can also do bad, by putting emphasis and fame to

the shooter, and make offensive comments about the victims, suspects, and the different causes

or motives.

The National Rifle Association.​ The NRA is a stakeholder of Gun Violence in schools

because the organization is in favor of American Citizens owning firearms, and knowing how to

properly use them. They also play a role because they fund many government officials. Many

people blame the NRA today, for all of the Gun Violence in the United States.

Local and Federal Government. ​Local and Federal governments are stakeholders of

Gun Violence in schools because they are the ones who create, and pass laws regarding firearms,

and schools.

State and Federal Law Enforcement, and First Responders. ​Law enforcement and

first responders are stakeholders of Gun Violence in schools because they are the first ones on

school campus when a shooting takes place. They are the ones who usually stop the shooter, and

they are the ones who save lives and care for those who have been injured.
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References

Deadliest Mass Shootings in Modern US History Fast Facts. (2017, November 10).
Retrieved February 04, 2018, from
https://www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/us/20-deadliest-mass-shootings-in-u-s-history-fast-facts/index.
html

History.com Staff. (2009). Columbine High School shootings. Retrieved February 04, 2018,
from
http://www.history.com/topics/columbine-high-school-shootings

Ryman, A. (2015, October 15). Update: NAU shooting suspect was fraternity pledge; victims
belonged to another fraternity. Retrieved February 04, 2018, from
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/breaking/2015/10/13/nau-shooting-suspect-s
teven-jones-pledge-another-fraternity/73871106/

Timeline: Deadly school shootings since Columbine. (2014, April 19). Retrieved February 04,
2018, from
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/04/19/school-shootings-timeline/790367
1/