In light of recent events, the topic of school shootings can be seen almost anywhere. The latest shooting in Florida has outraged many people, and they're sharing their opinions on every social media outlet they can find. It's creating controversy across the nation as many individuals believe gun control is the answer, while others believe gun control is ineffective. So what can we do?

Well, there are many answers to this problem. First, more teachers, school officials, and parents should be trained in how to recognize when a student is potentially at risk for this behavior. Usually before a shooting occurs there are multiple signs that are a cry for help that are either ignored or have gone unrecognized. Social media is a key factor in recognizing these signs because often the shooter posts about violence or weapons before leading up to the event.

Additionally, if a student is found to have had intense trauma or is at risk for violent behavior, the student should receive counseling and other resources to prevent things from escalating. However, just because someone has mental health issues does not mean that they will bring a gun to school. I emphasize this so much because the stigma towards mental health in today's society is extremely negative.

Okay, now here is the highly controversial part: gun control. Personally, I am pro-second amendment. However, I do believe that gun control is necessary to some degree. For example, why is it necessary to own an assault rifle if someone is not in the military?Background checks should occur for all gun sales as well because guns and ammo should not be as accessible as they are in states like Florida. I am not saying that guns should be banned, but states like Florida need to have restricted access to these weapons.

Now, here is the really important part. If you want to prevent this from happening to someone else, you have to take a stand. You have to be willing to advocate for change and educate others in your community. Not everyone is going to agree with you, and that's okay because you are allowing yourself to stand for something you believe in. You can write letters to your local congressmen, you can do peaceful rallies, and you can ask your local school or college what plans they have in place. If you are unhappy, do something about it by talking to people. Get together to figure out what the best plan for your community is because every community is different. Action needs to be taken to protect the children in our school districts, so take action today.