You are walking to your next class or watching the news and you see that a school is under lockdown for an on-campus shooting or stabbing. Your heart drops, but in a way you aren't surprised. The uprising in school attacks in America isn't shocking to us anymore. Whether they are at an elementary school, middle school, high school or on a college campus it is completely devastating to everyone but sadly many of us have become used to hearing about school attacks. This I hope makes people question "Why are school attacks so common?"
Ohio State University was subjected to the latest incident of a school attack. As a student, you never think that one day you will be studying in the library or learning a new lesson in class and suddenly have to run and fight for your life. It is extremely sad that many students, myself included are worried when walking through the halls, studying in the lab, or even just sitting in the classroom that someone might pull out a gun or knife and start attacking. My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone affected by the Ohio State University stabbing.
I am not going to say that we need gun control or that we all need to go out and buy a gun, but I do think that we all need to come together and learn how to be decent humans. My parents always taught me to treat others the way you want to be treated. Most of the time when a school attack happens no one knows the reason for it until later. Was it: from bullying, an act of terrorism, or a mental illness. ABC News reported in 2015 that on average there is at least 1 shooting on a school or college campus per week. That number is so heartbreaking, we aren't safe even when we are trying to learn and get an education.
I have been so blessed not to have been through any real school attacks, but just at my school alone we have had about 3 bomb threats (my school being evacuated to the stadium is pictured below) and many other high schools in my area have been on lock down for all sort of threats. We may never know why exactly people fake or actually go through with school attacks, but it is a horrible thing that no one should ever go through.
As I was writing this article I started to get tears in my eyes. This subject is such a sad and heartbreaking thing. The fact that kids and adults are just trying to learn or teach and have to go through a situation like a school shooting just breaks my heart. I hope no one ever has to go through one and anyone that has in the past or recently my thoughts and prayers are with you.
