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107 School Shooting Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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School shootings have unfortunately become all too common in today's society. With each tragic event, the debate over gun control, mental health, and school safety reignites. As students, educators, and parents grapple with the aftermath of these senseless acts of violence, it is important to continue having open and honest discussions about how to prevent future tragedies.

To help facilitate these discussions, we have compiled a list of 107 school shooting essay topic ideas and examples. These topics cover a range of issues related to school shootings, including the causes, consequences, and potential solutions. Whether you are a student looking to write a research paper or an educator seeking to spark dialogue in your classroom, these topics can serve as a valuable resource.

The history of school shootings in the United States

The psychological profile of school shooters

The impact of media coverage on school shootings

Gun control laws and their effectiveness in preventing school shootings

The role of mental health in school shootings

The impact of bullying on school shootings

School safety measures and their effectiveness

The connection between school shootings and domestic violence

The role of social media in school shootings

The impact of school shootings on survivors and their families

The influence of violent video games on school shootings

School shooter warning signs and how they can be identified

The connection between school shootings and white supremacy

The impact of school shootings on student mental health

The role of law enforcement in preventing school shootings

School shooting prevention programs and their effectiveness

The impact of school shootings on communities

The connection between school shootings and toxic masculinity

The role of school policies in preventing school shootings

The impact of school shootings on teacher morale

The connection between school shootings and school discipline policies

School shooter demographics and commonalities

The impact of school shootings on student academic performance

The role of parents in preventing school shootings

School shooting drills and their effectiveness

The connection between school shootings and mental health stigma

The impact of school shootings on school funding

The role of student activism in preventing school shootings

School shooter motives and their underlying causes

The impact of school shootings on school culture

The connection between school shootings and gun culture

School shooter profiles and common traits

The impact of school shootings on school attendance

The role of technology in preventing school shootings

School shooter access to firearms and how it can be restricted

The connection between school shootings and extremist ideologies

The impact of school shootings on student mental health services

The role of mental health screenings in preventing school shootings

School shooter training for educators and staff

The impact of school shootings on student sense of safety

The connection between school shootings and school resource officers

School shooting response protocols and their effectiveness

The impact of school shootings on student performance in standardized tests

The role of gun violence prevention programs in preventing school shootings

School shooter preparation and planning

The connection between school shootings and access to mental health services

The impact of school shootings on student behavior

The role of community partnerships in preventing school shootings

School shooter motivations and influences

The impact of school shootings on school climate

The connection between school shootings and social isolation

School shooter communication and warning signs

The impact of school shootings on student mental health resources

The role of school shooter drills in preventing school shootings

School shooter access to firearms and how it can be limited

The connection between school shootings and school discipline practices

The impact of school shootings on student perceptions of safety

The role of school shooter prevention programs in schools

School shooter motives and underlying causes

The impact of school shootings on student mental health support

The connection between school shootings and mental health resources

School shooter prevention strategies and their effectiveness

The impact of school shootings on student social relationships

The role of school shooter profiling in preventing school shootings

School shooter access to firearms and how it can be regulated

The connection between school shootings and school security measures

The impact of school shootings on student mental health awareness

The role of school shooter response training in preventing school shootings

School shooter risk assessment and intervention strategies

The impact of school shootings on student sense of belonging

The connection between school shootings and school culture

School shooter intervention and prevention programs

The impact of school shootings on student academic achievement

The role of school shooter threat assessments in preventing school shootings

School shooter access to firearms and how it can be monitored

The connection between school shootings and mental health education

The impact of school shootings on student mental health stigma

The role of school shooter prevention policies in schools

School shooter motives and influences

The connection between school shootings and media coverage

The connection between school shootings and gun control laws

These topics are just a starting point for exploring the complex issues surrounding school shootings. By engaging in thoughtful conversations and research on these topics, we can work towards creating safer schools and communities for all. It is important to remember that there are no easy answers when it comes to preventing school shootings, but by working together and staying informed, we can make progress towards a safer future.

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School Shooting and Firearms in the United States Essay

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Introduction

Causes of the problem, the impact of school shootings on the education system, the effects of mass media coverage on the prevalence of school shootings, legislations in response to school shootings, works cited.

In the context of the events that happened in the past two or three decades (such as the tragedy in Columbine), it is possible to state with certainty that school shootings appear to be one of the most prevalent and worrying social problems in the contemporary United States. Statistically, there is a gradual increase in the number of students killed in such mass shootings.

The number of mass school shootings and deaths from 1940 to early 2018 from Katsiyannis et al.

One of the most recent school shootings that occurred on February 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida is mentioned by Katsiyannis et al. as the “deadliest U.S. school shooting to date,” and also the authors argue that it “serves as a powerful reminder that school violence is ever-present” (2562). The situation requires not only an immediate response but also long-term continuous work towards the improvement of the current situation is urgently needed. It is possible to state that school shootings in the United States are a highly complex social problem that impacts various spheres of social, political, and economic life in the country.

School shootings represent a highly important moral concern for the whole population of America. Such events, as they have occurred more frequently in the last decade, create an atmosphere of terror and uncertainty (Beland and Kim 113). It affects the educational system to a considerable degree (Beland and Kim 113). Another highly significant aspect of the problem is the involvement of mass media in the creation of such an atmosphere.

However, the most evident reason for the prevalence of mass school shootings is the current firearm law, which provides the access to weapons to nearly everyone who has an intent to obtain it. The thesis statement of this argumentative essay could be formulated as follows: school shootings, as they are one of the most significant social problems in America in recent years, are subject to a profound discussion about the important aspects of this phenomenon to develop perspectives on possible solutions for the improvement of the issue.

First of all, it is essential to observe the causes of the problem to put further reasoning in the proper context. As it is evident from the brief overview of the situation given in the introduction, the issue under consideration has numerous underlying reasons, which often influence each other reciprocally (Katsiyannis et al. 2562). For example, Fox and DeLateur mentioned in their article that politicians, pundits, and professors of various disciplines had been promoting various proposals for change even before the Newtown’s Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which was considered to be “the final death toll” by the authors (126). Some of these stakeholders “talked about the role of guns, others about access to mental health services, and still more about the need for enhanced security in schools and other public places” (Fox and DeLateur 126). However, from a large-scale perspective, the most apparent problem is the availability of firearms caused by the current legislation.

Another highly important factor that influences the continuous occurrence of school shootings is the impact of mass media. It is possible to notice that, in the contemporary society, mass media, including television, newspapers, radio as well as the Internet and social media platforms, plays an immensely important role by providing the population with various information. It could be further suggested that mass media is capable of promoting ideas and behaviors. Since people are often not able to access the information about events, which are covered by various media platforms, they have to believe what is shown to them. Therefore, the media coverage of such events as school shootings, although it does not intend to praise or promote gun violence among teenagers and young people, could influence the promotion of mass shooting ideas indirectly. This factor will be later discussed in the separate section since it requires a profound examination.

It is also highly apparent that school shootings have a considerably negative impact on the contemporary education system. As was stated previously, school shootings have tended to happen more often in the past decade than it was in the 90s, and thus the atmosphere of terror, disbelief, and paranoia was established. It could be suggested that school students suffer the most from the occurrence of such events. People who were directly involved in school shootings as victims and survived this tragedy are traumatized significantly by this experience. The impact of such psychological, as well as physical, traumas could hardly be underestimated as it negatively influences nearly every sphere of the individual’s life. Accordingly, it is logical to assume that the student’s academic performance will be considerably aggravated by the traumatizing experience. Even though they were not directly traumatized by school shootings, people who were involved in such events could also be negatively affected, as they will fear for their lives or expect one of their classmates to be the next shooter. Therefore, this factor needs an additional investigation in the separate section.

The third factor that should be mentioned in the context of this discussion is the prevalence of mental illnesses and the current state of the United States healthcare system at large. One of the most significant problems in this area of concern is that mental disorders are largely stigmatized by society, especially among the children of school age (Metzl and MacLeish 240). People could be excluded from socializing based on their mental state. It could also be problematic for a teenager to access proper treatment for his or her mental illness, or an individual could consider his or her condition as something that does not need any medical or psychological treatment. Moreover, it is apparent from numerous cases that the majority of people involved in school shootings as shooters have troubles in the sphere of mental health at least to some extent (Metzl and MacLeish 240).

The correlation between the mental state of a person and the probability of him or her being involved in crimes is well-recognized and studied in contemporary academic literature. For example, Metzl and MacLeish assume that psychiatric diagnosis can predict gun crime, and also that school shootings “represent the deranged acts of mentally ill loners” (240). Also, Fox and Fridel mention the following typical characteristics of a mass shooter, which are often disregarded by the society and only come into focus with hindsight: “depression, resentment, social isolation, externalization of blame, fascination with weapons and violent entertainment, and even verbal or written expressions of hate or malice” (14). Therefore, it is essential to notice that people with mental illnesses, even though they should not be automatically considered as potential school shooters, are to be treated with special attention. In the majority of cases, people try to seek help to cope with the stress factors of their life which they do not know how to deal with alone.

At this point, it is evident that the mentioned factor could hardly be adequately estimated, evaluated, and analyzed separately. It is essential to perceive the causes of school shootings as a highly complex set of interdependent reasons that influence each other reciprocally. Therefore, the following sections will attempt to dwell upon the discussion of more particular aspects of the mentioned domains of the overall problem under consideration. Legislations in response to school shootings will be observed in the last part of this essay as they appear to be the key approach to a more stable and adequate situation. Therefore, it is essential to first observe the existing legislative acts, and then to propose possible solutions and improvement for the current situation to develop a comprehensive conclusion.

As was suggested previously, school shootings could have a vast impact on the academic performance of students and other school-related measures. The study by Beland and Kim is focused on this particular topic, as the authors argue that “the educational consequences of deadly school shootings on enrollment and student performance are not well known” even though this phenomenon is largely covered in media (113). The authors investigate a wide range of aspects that are affected by the occurrence of such events. Among these factors, it is possible to mention the following: enrollment patterns, negative changes in test scores in the subsequent year, as well as behavioral variables such as graduation, attendance, and suspension rates (Beland and Kim 113).

As a result of their study, the authors came to conclusions that are considerably similar to the previously developed premises about the impact of school shootings on the educational system. In general, the authors state that students are directly affected by shootings (Beland and Kim 124). In particular, it is possible to state that math and English standardized test results show a considerable decline after a shooting occurs at a school (Beland and Kim 123). Therefore, the previously formulated assumption about the traumatizing experience that negatively affects the students’ academic performance is true. Also, enrollment patterns change. In schools, which experienced a homicidal mass shooting, the number of people who enroll in Grade 9 drops considerably (Beland and Kim 123). However, the authors did find out that such events have no significant influence on such measures as suspension, graduation, or average daily attendance rates. In general, it is possible to observe that the magnitude of the problem of school shootings is immense.

In this section, the discussion is largely based on the phenomenon of mass media in the context of its vast impact on the prevalence and, indirectly, the promotion of mass school shootings. Regarding the issue of interest from a broader perspective, it is appropriate to observe that each school shooting is a tragedy, which repeatedly devastates communities and shakes public opinions (Garcia-Bernardo et al. 1). It is also apparent that such events are largely driven by personal intents and motivations, and also rarely there are apparent signals or precursors, and thus it is significantly difficult to predict a school shooting. Nevertheless, the study by Garcia-Bernardo et al. attempts to identify the role of the copycat effect in school shootings as well as the correlation between the amount of information about such an event provided by a mass media platform and the prevalence of the copycat effect.

One of the most principal findings made by Garcia-Bernardo et al. is the significance of the copycat effect in the context of school shootings investigation. As it is mentioned in the article, the interaction between attacks on schools “can be attributed to an acute ‘issue-attention cycle’ with the media reacting strongly to every attack” (Garcia-Bernardo et al. 5). The authors developed their conclusions based on the profound and very inclusive investigation of a large number of tweets since Twitter appears to be one of the most prevalent and diverse social media platforms/mass media. The authors also investigate FBI databases about school shootings. One of the principal findings of the study is that “social media publicity about school shootings correlates with an increase in the probability of new attacks” (Garcia-Bernardo et al. 6). The research is based on the use of a comprehensive mathematical theory, and thus it is possible to state with certainty that the results are reliable.

The Concept of Contagion in the Context of School Shootings

Another concept that should be mentioned in the context of the impact of mass media coverage on the probability of school shootings is contagion. The article by Towers et al. focuses on the implementation of the concept of contagion as a framework for analyzing the phenomenon of school shootings (see Fig. 2). The authors reinforce the findings of the article by Garcia-Bernardo et al., stating that “media reports of suicides and homicides appear to subsequently increase the incidence of similar events in the community” (Towers et al. 1). However, the originality of the approach by Towers et al. is that they use the contagion model to analyze how the occurrence of school shootings increases the probability of a similar event in the immediate future.

Relationship of state prevalence of firearm ownership, mental illness, and state rankings of strength of firearm legislation, to the state incidence of mass killings, school shootings, and mass shootings from Towers et al.

The findings of the study by Towers et al., as well as those of the article by Garcia-Bernardo et al., reinforce the assumption which was made in the causes section of this paper. Contemporary mass media appears to be a highly influencing force in terms of spreading ideas and creating a public opinion about various things. In the context of school shootings, Towers et al. suggest that the temporary increase in the probability of another shooting lasts for 13 days on average since the day of the antecedent shooting (1). Therefore, it could be concluded that the spreading of school shooting ideas is considerably similar to the process of contagion.

In the final section of the paper before the conclusion, it is essential to overview how the problem of school shootings is responded to by the current legislative acts and what could be possibly done to improve the situation. As it was mentioned several times previously, the importance of gun control is considered to be one of the most important aspects of decreasing the negative impact of mass shootings. This perspective is well-recognized in the contemporary academic literature. For example, studies by Kalesan et al., Katsiyannis et al., as well as Metzl and MacLeish indicate that the existing firearms laws are not significantly efficient in terms of preventing school shootings.

It is possible to assume that one of the most worrying aspects of the current firearm legislation is that there are few attempts to regulate the weapon ownership in households where children or teenagers can access these weapons. As it is mentioned by Schildkraut and Hernandez, Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter, obtained guns that had his mother (359). Other studies also exemplify similar circumstances that preceded other school shootings. Therefore, it is essential to propose that more strict and thorough rules of gun ownership, possession, and storage were created. Another problem, which is mentioned by Vlahov, is that there have been no government-sponsored studies on the issue of mass shootings since 1996 (293). Therefore, it is particularly difficult to estimate the potential efficiency of newly proposed gun laws. Accordingly, it is of high significance to create and promote a community-based and research-based firearm legislation agenda.

However, one of the most effective means of decreasing access to weapons and thus lowering the probability of school shootings is the implementation of background checks for those who wish to purchase weapons. For example, Kalesan et al. state that, as of 2013, only “14 out of the 50 states and District of Columbia had some form of background checks (BCs) for firearm purchase, out of which 5 states required BC for handgun purchases alone but not for long guns or assault weapons” (321). A considerable part of the article by Schildkraut and Hernandez is also dedicated to the discussion of background check legislation. The authors argue that even though such legislation exists, they often do not adequately work (Schildkraut and Hernandez 369). However, it is proven statistically that states with background check laws for firearm and ammunition purchases have lower school shooting incidence rates (Kalesan et al. 326). Therefore, it is essential to implement such legislation.

As to conclude on the conducted analysis, it is essential to restate the immense significance of the problem of school shootings for contemporary America. Considering the thesis statement of this paper, it is possible to extend it by observing that the phenomenon of school shootings is a highly complex set of factors and variables which influence each other reciprocally, and thus it is considerably difficult to predict and prevent such events. Nevertheless, several important arguments could be made to build a comprehensive conclusion on how to decrease the negative impact of the problem under discussion.

First of all, firearm legislation should be changed with the help of the government so that it would be more difficult for teenagers to access various weapons. This aspect of the proposed solution includes the creation of a community and research-based agenda, the implementation of more thorough background checks, and stricter regulation of the conditions of firearm possession. Secondly, it is argued that it is essential to pay more attention to the prevalence of mental illnesses and psychological problems, which are common among school students so that it would be easier to detect some mental health problems that would later lead to another school shooting. Thirdly, the role of mass media, which might increase the probability of a school shooting, should also be considered by policymakers and other stakeholders.

Beland, Louis-Philippe, and Dongwoo Kim. “The Effect of High School Shootings on Schools and Student Performance.” Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis , vol. 38, no. 1, 2016, pp. 113-126.

Fox, James Alan, and Emma E. Fridel. “The Tenuous Connections Involving Mass Shootings, Mental Illness, and Gun Laws.” Violence and Gender , vol. 3, no. 1, 2016, pp. 14-19.

Fox, James Alan, and Monica J. DeLateur. “Mass Shootings in America: Moving beyond Newtown.” Homicide Studies , vol. 18, no. 1, 2014, pp. 125-145.

Garcia-Bernardo, Javier, et al. “Social Media Affects the Timing, Location, and Severity of School Shootings.” Cornell University Library , Web.

Kalesan, Bindu, et al. “School Shootings during 2013–2015 in the USA.” Injury Prevention , vol. 23, no. 5, 2017, pp. 321-327.

Katsiyannis, Antonis, et al. “Historical Examination of United States Intentional Mass School Shootings in the 20th and 21st Centuries: Implications for Students, Schools, and Society.” Journal of Child and Family Studies , vol. 27, no. 8, 2018, pp. 2562-2573.

Metzl, Jonathan M., and Kenneth T. MacLeish. “Mental Illness, Mass Shootings, and the Politics of American Firearms.” American Journal of Public Health , vol. 105, no. 2, 2015, pp. 240-249.

Schildkraut, Jaclyn, and Tiffany Cox Hernandez. “Laws that Bit the Bullet: A Review of Legislative Responses to School Shootings.” American Journal of Criminal Justice , vol. 39, no. 2, 2014, pp. 358-374.

Towers, Sherry, et al. “Contagion in Mass Killings and School Shootings.” PLoS One , vol. 10, no. 7, 2015, pp. 1-12.

Vlahov, David. “Building the Evidence Base to Prevent Firearm Deaths and Injuries.” Journal of Urban Health , vol. 95, no. 3, 2018, pp. 293-294.

Anti-Cosa Nostra Law Enforcement Strategies
Criminal Justice System and Inequilty in America
Guns Usage in the United States
The Right to Possess Firearms
The Mental Illness and Gun Violence Analysis
Sentencing and Punishment in the US
Garrity v. New Jersey and Fifth Amendment Rights
Police Accountability and Public Information Access
Restorative Justice in the Criminal Justice Process
Three-Strikes Law Ineffective in Crime Reduction
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Chicago (N-B)

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School Shooting - Essay Samples And Topic Ideas For Free

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Imagine it is one-thirty in the afternoon and you are walking through a busy high school. You are likely imagining hearing the melody of children laughing, lockers closing, and feet shuffling through the hallways. The last thing you are expecting to hear is running, screaming and the ringing of bullets flying through halls. Now stop imagining, as a result of the increase of guns in America this nightmare has become a reality. Students already have enough to worry about, on […]

Eric Harris School Shooting

On April 20,1999, 17-year-old Dylan Klebold and 18-year-old Eric Harris committed a mass shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. At 11:10, “The two then walked into the school cafeteria, where they placed two duffel bags each containing a 20-pound propane bomb set to explode at 11:17 a.m.” (History.com, 2009) These students entered the school around 11:00am and killed 13 people, injured over 20 people, and then ended the massacre by committing suicide. These boys are classified as mass […]

Effect of School Shooting in Florida

School shootings have become more common over the years, in 2018 alone there have been seven school shootings. There have been a total of fifty-seven school shootings in thirty-six different countries between 2000 and 2010 (Chicago Tribune). School shootings have lead to both social and political change. There have been several studies regarding the attendance as well as the performance of the students academically. The Florida school shootings have lead to a change in New York politics and has led […]

Combating Gun Violence

A school shooting is an attack at an educational institution, such as a school or university, involving the use of firearms. The first recorded school shooting in the United States took place in 1840, when a law student shot and killed his professor at the University of Virginia. Despite that crime rates in the United States are declining, and homicide specifically is especially rare, many people believe that school shootings are becoming epidemic, occurring more frequently than the have in […]

Tragedy and the Meaning of School Shootings

""The phenomenon referred to as ""school shootings"" pertains mainly to those shootings where the school is deliberately chosen as the site of violence, the violence is perpetrated by a current or former student, and the targets are chosen symbolically or at random with the intention of causing as many deaths as possible"" (Travers, McDonagh & Elklit, 2018). One of the most recent concerns in education today is school safety protocols to prohibit an intruder. Over the past few decades, school […]

School Shootings have Become a Big Problem after Columbine

Many schools employed security guards, installed metal detectors and cameras, and permitted teachers to be armed. However, doing this did not change most outcomes. The problem is not allowing people to enter, it is a problem within the school. Students do not even feel safe at schools anymore they believe they have to sneak in guns to protect themself, and parents fearing for their children as well. Teachers and parents should become aware of the symptoms (bullied, distanced, negativity, and […]

Today’s Real World Challenge: High School Shooting

My topic is school shootings. School shootings are when someone invades a school or university and shoots (injures or kills) a student or faculty member of that school. I chose this topic because I feel that this is a real problem in the real world today that needs to stop. Innocent people are dying and being sent to hospitals for problems that they didn’t even start, that they aren’t even involved in. I also know that I would hate […]

Blatant Morals and School Shootings

With bullets flying claiming the lives of innocent students and wounding others in the process, a pool of emotions surfaces. In abundance, the community shouts(demands,questions,) for answers while grieving in pain. Dating back to the first reported school shootings that took place we stumble upon the gruesome discovery of the ""Enoch Brown"" massacre in 1764. ""Four Delaware (Lenape) American Indians entered the schoolhouse near present-day Greencastle, Pennsylvania, and shot and killed schoolmaster Enoch Brown and nine children (reports vary). Only […]

Students Protest and Addresses Gun Violence

A schools' biggest fear is having a shooter come onto campus. There has been so many incidents on the news that people are trying to find solutions for this issue. Students need to feel safe while they are learning. I have found three articles of school shootings that go into detail about what took place on those days. Each author has had an interesting stand-point about what should happen next. In this paper, i will be comparing the authors perspective […]

Rise of School Shootings

School shootings have been on the rise and are more prevalent than ever before. "In less than 18 years, we have already seen more deaths related to school shootings than in the whole 20th century. One alarming trend is that the overwhelming majority of 21st-century shooters were adolescents, suggesting that it is now easier for them to access guns, and that they more frequently suffer from mental health issues or limited conflict resolution skills,". (Katsiyannis et al., 2018) This leaves […]

The Impact of School Shootings

There has been a significant increase in school shootings. This has prompted the debate of whether metal detectors, security guards, and gated entrances should be utilized to enforce school safety. There is a decline in school shootings in certain states. These states have chosen to allow extended measures to increase school safety. Others argue that there is not enough money in the budget to spend on additional safety measures for school security. Should money be put aside for school safety […]

Persuasive Speech on Gun Control to Prevent School Shootings

It's called school, not a shooting range. Students should be focusing on their educations, not living in fear of being harmed in the environment they consider safe. According to CNN, "The US has had 57 times as many school shootings as the other major industrialized nations combined." If this isn't a glaring pointer that our gun laws must be updated and renovated to create a safer country for our successors, then what is? Every day, children go to school wondering […]

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How To Write an Essay About School Shooting

Introduction to the topic of school shootings.

When writing an essay about school shootings, it is crucial to approach the topic with sensitivity and a deep understanding of its complexity. School shootings are a tragic form of violence that have profound impacts on communities, families, and the public at large. In your introduction, it's important to define what constitutes a school shooting, acknowledging the gravity and sensitivity of the issue. Offer a brief overview of the increase in these incidents in recent years, setting the stage for a thoughtful exploration of their causes, impacts, and potential preventive measures. Your introduction should establish the tone for the essay, which should be respectful, informative, and reflective.

Examining the Causes and Motivations

The first major section of your essay should explore the potential causes and motivations behind school shootings. This involves delving into complex factors such as mental health issues, access to firearms, societal influences, and possible warning signs exhibited by perpetrators. It's important to present a balanced view, acknowledging that there is rarely a single cause for such actions and that they are the result of a combination of factors. Utilize relevant research, case studies, and expert analyses to support your discussion. This exploration should provide readers with a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of the problem, moving beyond simplistic explanations.

Impact on Communities and Policy Implications

Next, focus on the impact of school shootings on communities, survivors, and society at large. Discuss the immediate and long-term psychological, emotional, and social consequences these events have on students, teachers, families, and communities. Explore how school shootings influence public policy, particularly in relation to gun control, school safety measures, and mental health resources. Analyze different policy responses and their effectiveness, drawing from examples in various regions or countries. This section should highlight the ripple effect of school shootings, underscoring the importance of comprehensive and informed policy responses.

Concluding with Solutions and Reflections

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points and offering reflections on potential solutions to prevent future school shootings. Discuss the importance of a multi-faceted approach that includes enhancing school security, improving mental health support for students, responsible gun ownership, and community awareness. Reflect on the societal changes necessary to address the root causes of such violence. Your conclusion should encourage readers to think critically about the issue and consider their role in contributing to safer school environments and communities. A well-crafted conclusion will not only bring closure to the essay but also inspire a sense of responsibility and hope for a future where school shootings are a thing of the past.

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College Essays Should Be Personal. For School-Shooting Survivors, the Question Is How Personal.

A generation of American students has become tragically familiar with mass shootings. Many of them describe the life-changing experiences in their college applications.

By Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Patricia Mazzei

To make their college admissions essays stand out, high school students have always written about their biggest personal hardships. For those who have survived mass shootings, ducking under desks and witnessing unspeakable horror, the big question is whether to recount the bloodshed to get into college.

With school shootings now a part of the fabric of America, college admissions officers regularly find the tragedies they watched unfold on television being grappled with in the pages of the applications before them.

Students recall their terror. They describe their transformation from quiet pupil to outspoken activist. For those who are willing to relive those awful days — and not all survivors are — the tragedies are life-changing.

We Want to Hear From Students Affected by Mass Shootings

“I kind of struggled with that a little bit, because I never really knew what colleges would look for,” said Taylor Ferrante-Markham, who graduated this spring from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. But then she learned admissions officers liked to see evidence of personal growth.

“Of course, it was the first thing that popped into my head,” she said of the February 2018 massacre at her school, which left 17 people dead and another 17 wounded. She applied only to St. John’s University in New York — her dream college, she said — and edited her essay until she felt it was good enough to win her acceptance.

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Home / Essay Samples / Social Issues / Violence / School Shooting

School Shooting Essay Examples

The major causes of school shootings in america.

The United States is one of the superpower nations in the world. Given that it is considered to be a superpower nation, it is expected to have the best security both without and within its borders. While the US has done many exploits beyond its...

School Shooting as a Crime Subjecting to Moral Panic

School shooting refers to the event where a student at an educational institution uses the force of any arm or ammunition in order to injure or kill other members of the student that may be any other student or any faculty member. This kind of...

The Link Between School Shootings and Violent Video Games

The word Columbine has come to trigger thoughts of a school shooting and massacre in American culture. The date was April 20, 1999. Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, set bombs around the school in an attempt to destroy Columbine High School and those...

Representation of School Shootings in the Media

Contrary to popular opinion, the school shooting at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, was not the first of its kind in the United States. Over 33 years earlier, the University of Texas at Austin experienced a mass shooting in which the perpetrator killed...

The Second Amendment as One of the Factors of School Shootings

About twenty years ago on April 20, 1999, a terrifying tragedy that shocked America occurred at Columbine High School. It started out like a normal day at school with all the students attending their classes without a concern about the terror that would happen on...

Analysis of Stoneman Douglas School Shooting from the Psychological Perspective

On February 14, of 2018, a former student of a high school located in Florida opened fired inside the school building killing 17 students and injuring 17 others. He later fled with the chaos of other kids rushing outside the high school for protection. Nicholas...

Peer Rejection and School Shootings

School shootings are a growing problem in America. There are school shootings almost every week, some miner and other kill so many people. School shooters are usually stereotyped as people who don't have friends and there the weirdos at school or other places but anybody...

Risk Assessment of School Shootings in the United States

American schools are facing a threat at levels that have never been seen before. Mass shootings occur everywhere in the United States and at alarming rates as compared to other developed countered in the world. However, this violence also plagues American schools, with children losing...

The Measures Needed to Prevent School Shootings in America

On average, there has been one school shooting every week in 2018. There has been 23 school shootings where someone has been hurt or killed says CNN news. Part of the issue is who has their hands on these guns. We’re all tired of reading...

A Report on Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting

On a Valentine day, 2018 in Parkland, the state of Florida, there were shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School which broke the history of mass school shootings. This incident was after the case of the extermination of twelve pupils and a teacher and the...

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