On Tuesday, May 7th, 2019, Highlands Ranch High School became the site for the seventh school shooting* on U.S. soil that transpired in 2019. On the same day, just a little under 1700 miles away, Savannah State University would also become a site of the eighth U.S. school shooting.

As horrible as it is to say, my surprise that a shooting occurred was slim to none. School shootings have become one of America's predominant features, so much so that children fear to go to school- unsure whether or not they will be coming home at the end of the day. School shootings happen too often and too often those who are wholly capable of making change offer nothing but thoughts and prayers as they promise us "never again". We are told "never again" will a shooting as this occur and "never again" will parents have to bury their child or will friends have to stand over their coffin. We are told "never again" will children have to send what they believe to be a goodbye message to their family. We are told "never again" will an elementary, middle, high school, or college becomes another Instagram or Twitter hashtag. We are told "never again", but again and again, shootings occur all across the country, plaguing United States' schools and the only ones who pay for it are the students and their families.

Students now live in fear of going to school, not because of failing a test, presenting a project, or being called names by the average school bully but because they truly believe they may not make it home at the end of the day. As a student myself, this is nothing short of horrific and disturbing... no one should believe death or serious bodily injury awaits them at the place where they are trying to learn and further their education so they can become the leaders of tomorrow. So why has there been no serious change made in regards to gun ownership and gun laws in general?

When will we, as a country stand up and say "this isn't okay" and truly realize that the only way to make serious changes and to prevent more catastrophes is to implement harsher gun laws that prevent dangerous individuals from purchasing them the same way they can purchase a pack of gum. When will we make it exponentially harder for citizens to obtain firearms that can and have routinely been used to seriously harm and/or kill the lives of many innocent individuals? When will those who truly hold power and can actually bring about change put the lives of America's youth on the forefront and the right to bear arms on the back burner? When will we stop putting a price on our youth's heads and rather prove to them that we will do anything to keep them safe in their schools? When will we put serious change into place? When will we say "enough is enough" and realize that our country is facing a real problem and we must follow the examples of other countries previously plagued by the same issue to truly bring about the safety, security, and wellbeing of not only American students but American residents in general. When will we serve justice for all those who have been victims of school shootings, especially those who lost their lives to a cruel act of violence?

WHEN?