The Voices of RMHS: Student Opinions on School Safety Issues

Recent tragedies in America have affected many people’s lives. The sadness that has come from recent school shootings has reached every person in America and affected everyone in different ways. The students who survived the Parkland Shooting will forever be changed and will never be able to feel safe in their school again. The families of the countless victims will never get to see their loved ones again. All across America, in every school, paranoia is setting in. Teachers are paranoid that they may have to give up their life for their students, students are paranoid that their friends will be the next victims on the five o’clock news. No teacher or student should have to walk into the building they spend almost everyday in and feel this way. No child receiving an education should be fearful while walking down the hallway.

The question that our country now faces is: How do we stop this? How do we stop these horrific occurrences and protect children and students? Many Americans have begun strongly protesting for much stricter gun control laws and the banning of selling automatic and semi-automatic weapons to civilians. On the other end of the spectrum, others believe that arming school teachers is the best way to protect the students and stop school shooters. This argument is starting to divide the people of our country, but while arguments are being made, something must be done to protect the schools more. To find out what the students of Reading Memorial High School think, I asked them a few different questions. The first question was “Do you think arming school teachers with guns is the best way to prevent school shootings?” The first student I asked was adamantly against this possible solution. They believed “It would just cause more of an issue and it would make students feel unsafe.” They also brought up the point that a student could possibly acquire the gun and create a dangerous situation. This student also said “I think it wouldn’t stop school shooters because if they want to go through with it they will be determined to do it and nothing can stop them from thinking that way.” I then asked a second student the same question and their response was “No, because a teacher’s job is to educate their students, not to worry about learning how to use a gun. Using and or dealing with a gun is not something that will make the school more safe, it’s just normalizing guns and school shootings.” Finally, I asked a third student the question and they had a different take on it compared to the first two. They said, “Well, I don’t think it will prevent [school shootings], but it will make people feel more safe because if a shooter walked into the school then we would have some type of defense. But I also think if you have a teacher that isn’t trained with a gun, then it puts everyone else in danger too.” Clearly shown by these answers, this option of arming school teachers with guns is very complicated and people feel very strongly one way or another about it. Every possible solution to this issue is complex and will evoke many different opinions, and this one is no exception.

The next question I asked students was “What do you think is the best way to prevent school shootings?” The first student I asked gave a response saying: “I think that the best way to prevent school shootings is to have a standard protocol that everyone in the school must follow. Certain technologies or mechanical objects could be added to help evacuate. In my opinion, better devices to inform all teachers and staff would be a good choice. Also, rope ladders, hammers, bats, and ropes would be good equipment to keep in a classroom to help students evacuate. As scary as a rope ladder sounds, I think that it is a very good ideas and I support adding them to our schools.” The second student I asked answered with: “I think the best way to prevent school shootings is to create more gun regulations and having more background checks on students. Maybe even having metal detectors and such? I know that students need privacy and that if someone wants to [harm other students] they will find a way, but having more gun regulations will definitely help resolve the issue more.” Similarly to the answers of the first question, these answers point out the positive and negatives of this option and the different ideas and opinions of the students. Every students in RMHS is different and has different opinions on this matter, but the one thing we all agree on is that no more lives should be lost because of these tragedies.

There are advantages and disadvantages to everything, and with a decision this big every option needs to be examined and considered. However, a change needs to be made soon in order to keep students and teachers safe. If a change is not made soon, then we, as a nation, are failing to protect the kids of our country.