School Violence

Today, we have all seen our fair share of school violence. It seems to be increasing and new measures and changes need to be taken to help prevent these incidents tragedies from happening. What causes this violence and on understanding of these incidents must be clear before any preventive measures can be taken. After one study of a student at Santana High School in Santee, California opened fire in the school, a better understanding is starting to take effect.

On Monday, March 5, 2001, 15-year-old Charles Andrew Williams brought a .22 caliber revolver to school that he took from his father’s locked cabinet. (Blanco, 2001). He loaded the revolver in a bathroom stall and opened fire. He shot and killed one student, an injured another before exiting the bathroom into the school’s quad where he opened fire on students and faculty. This is where he fatally shot another student and injured eleven other students and two adults; one of them was a security guard at the school. (Exclusive: Santana School Shooter, 2003). Williams then returned to the bathroom where he turned over his gun and surrendered to the police. (Blanco, 2001).

Some of the events that led up to this incident were the events that happened at other schools, for example the famously known Columbine massacre. The Columbine massacre opened the eyes of these troubled teens like Andrew Williams, as a new way to lash out and punish their peers and teachers. Some other events that can and do lead up to school violence are the characteristics that most of these school shooters have in common. These characteristics include: chronic feelings of isolation or rejection, frequent angry outbursts, social withdrawal or depression, fascination with or possession of weapons, alcohol or drug dependency, history of bullying behavior, and lack of interest in school or poor school performance. There are also common characteristics to some, but not to all, like cruelty to animals and gang affiliation. There is...