By Breonna Holley

School violence and efforts to prevent it have been going on for so long that it has almost become commonplace. Last year alone, there were 103 recorded school related shooting related incidents resulting in 60 deaths and 88 injuries, according to the group Everytown for Gun Safety.

The violence happens at every level, from elementary schools to colleges and universities. Violence in schools has spread widely throughout the nation. School violence is a big problem we are facing now. School violence has caused many problems among students, families, faculty/staff of schools, and residents of the community.

School violence is not limited to mass shootings. It also includes gang activity, bullying, and assault. There are also other crime and safety concerns in school, such as theft and drugs. School violence usually does not start in school. Crimes in school are often related to violence that occurs in the home or the community. Some kids could be going through something at home that leads them to do bad things at school. Violent tendencies may also be linked to the experience of children that watch violent TV shows.

Some people only go to school because they have to, and some people skip school because they think it is unnecessary. When students cut class or leave the building without permission, it often leads to unsafe situations.

The last 3 years have shown us that the threat of violence in schools and in society at large is more common today than in the past. One problem involving violence has to do with knives. The reason kids bring knives to school is because they probably do not feel safe at the school. The student who was arrested for stabbing another student at Patterson in March claimed that he was being bullied and that he carried the knife for self-defense. Whether or not this is true, it is clear that the presence of knives and other weapons in school is a serious safety concern.

School is supposed to be a safe place where young people can go learn the basics of mathematics, literature, science, and other subjects, without fearing for their safety, feeling intimidated, or being harassed. Patterson High School is taking a variety of measures to improve school safety. These measures include the use of metal detectors, the presence of security guards in the school, rules and regulations regarding student conduct and dress, profiling of potentially violent students, anti-bullying programs, restorative practices, and more.

When an incident does occur, administrators respond to it and take steps to keep everyone safe and prevent further violence. “Once a fight happens, we’ll always deal with it.”, declared Mr. Alukwu, one of the assistant principals at Patterson.

Even though school administrators and teachers are working toward making the school environment safe and secure, crime and violence still find their way onto the school grounds. Safety will continue to be a concern at schools, so educators, school administrators, parents, and students remain vigilant in striving to make their schools safe places where youth are able to learn.