Editors note: This article was previously published in volume 91, issue 3 of the Clarion hardcopy.
Since January 1, America has experienced over 51 school shootings. In recent decades, this deadly epidemic has been growing at an alarming rate throughout the country. Countless innocent lives have been lost, and millions of individuals have been affected. This issue has been a driving factor in new school stratagems, in addition to polarizing political debates.
At Riverside Brookfield High School, we have a multitude of procedures, technology, and staff keeping us safe from violence. Five years ago, RB adopted a new lockdown procedure called “A.L.I.C.E.”. “A.L.I.C.E” stands for: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. These five words represent the steps to be taken in the case of an intruder. This new plan of action hopes to give teachers autonomy over their classroom, as well as empower students’ safety. In the event of an active shooter, broadcasts would be made through the PA (Public Address System), the Remind app, and Schoolguard, an application available to staff. This offers real-time updates, making students more informed than ever, and allows teachers to make the best decisions with the information provided.
RB’s “Welcome Center” itself is reinforced with bullet proof protection, and windows throughout the building are reinforced with 3M film. Visitors are required to show identification and are screened through the “Raptor” system, a school safety software that compares information to a sex offender database. In addition to this, within the past decade, RB has adopted an escort policy for all outside guests that enter the school. Exterior door checks are done frequently with the use of the “Hero” system.
Our camera system has been upgraded to a technologically advanced version, and more cameras are planned to be installed in the near future. These cameras allow for our security personnel to reach sufficient surveillance throughout campus.
RB also holds communication with local police forces. If a threat is made to the school relating to a weapon, the case is reported to the state police through the “Clear and Present” danger portal. This prevents individuals who made threats from purchasing weapons in the future. RB also has a full staff of hall monitors and security guards that are present throughout the school, from five in the morning to ten at night. Our security team is trained in diffusing situations.
School security is under constant evolution. As tragic as school shootings across the country are, learning from these events as they occur can prevent similar circumstances from happening in the future. Our security team and administration takes these stories into account when assessing our own procedures and policies here at RB.
It has been pointed out that school shootings seem to be a uniquely American issue. Rarely do we hear of a school shooting anywhere besides the United States. While these attacks have happened in other places, it comes down to the steps made by governments seceding that prevent the issue from spreading.
The 1996 Dunblane Primary School shooting that took place in Scotland killed 17 people and wounded 15 others. About a year after, Parliament banned ownership of the majority of handguns and semi-automatic weapons, and put in place mandatory registration for shotgun owners. Since this, no school shootings have happened in the United Kingdom.
The 2019 Christ Church Massacre in New Zealand that left 51 people dead led to an almost immediate reform to gun laws in the country. Less than two weeks after the attack, a bill was passed banning semi-automatic weapons, and they eventually passed the “Arms Legislation Bill”. This restricts ownership, licensing, and storage of guns. Similarly to Scotland, no school shootings have taken place since this bill was passed.
When it comes to gun control, America falls behind other countries. We simply do not take the same steps after a tragedy that other countries do. This comes as a result of the difference between American culture surrounding the right to bear arms. This causes the same patterns to reoccur time and time again.
The most recent gun control legislation includes the “Bi-Partisan Safer Communities Act”. This act includes enhanced background checks for people under 21, $750 million to states implementing “red flag” laws, and it closes the “boyfriend loophole”. This prevents convicts of domestic abuse from owning a gun. This year in Illinois, the ban of the sale and manufacture of firearms known as “assault weapons” was passed. While these changes being made are a step in the right direction, we have yet to see a decrease in shootings in America.
In order to eliminate the threat of mass shootings in the United States, there are a multitude of things that need to occur. When attempting to solve any issue, looking at the causes is the first place to start. Most, if not all, school shootings do not happen spontaneously. They are planned, have warning signs, and often have a trigger. Recognizing these warnings allows time to be proactive and get ahead of a possibly deadly scenario.
These triggers usually come in combination with access to guns and mental health issues caused by home situations, bullying or abuse, glamorization of violence in media, lack of a watchful guardian, and loneliness. The biggest and possibly the most obvious causation of school shootings is easy access to firearms, in contingency with mental health struggles.
Oftentimes, we turn the subject of school shootings into something solely political, which makes us lose sight of humanity within these crises. Although it may be difficult, tackling this issue will require putting politics to the side and looking at gun control through an unbiased lens. We all have the same common goal, just with different ideas on how to get there.
There is no one clear-cut answer to solving the issue of mass shootings in America, but the journey begins with a combination of mental health awareness and gun reform. In a perfect world, there would be an emphasis on teaching mental health strategies from an early age, and this would create a stronger community where individuals do not feel a reason to resort to violence. A spotlight on mental wellness working with stringent gun laws would ideally make way for safer schools. No plan is foolproof; however, this is a step in the right direction.
One of RB’s strengths is fostering an environment where students feel cared for and valued. The passion held by administrators and staff for keeping RB students safe is palpable. RB has school social workers and psychologists, and culture at RB holds an emphasis on overall wellness and inclusivity.
In preventing violence within schools, students are one of the biggest resources when it comes to attaining information that allows administrators to be proactive. It takes a communal effort to keep us all safe, and it is necessary that students take on that responsibility. Use your voice Bulldogs: if you see something, say something!
