March 12 marked the 71st day of the year. In those days 3,511 individuals have died from gun violence outside of suicide (Gun Violence Archive). According to EducationWeek, nine school shootings have occurred this year in elementary to high schools as of March 10, 2023. 

Gun control is a term many can’t get behind, but we should all at least recognize the importance of gun safety. It does not have to be all or nothing in taking away constitutional rights versus preventing gun violence from becoming an even greater public health crisis. 

Gun safety does not have to be construed as “taking all guns away,” instead, efforts should be made to identify and mitigate the fuels of gun violence, including gun glorification, armed supremacy, political apathy and corruption, poverty and the national mental health crisis (people with mental illness are more likely to become victims of gun violence through suicide)  (March for Our Lives).

Districts across the country have created dramatic measures, such as bulletproof shelters. Parents send their children to school with bulletproof shields in their backpacks and 45% of adults support arming teachers as a safety measure. 

Carmel Clay Schools has promoted a goal of establishing a leading school safety program in the United States, supporting measures such as modifying infrastructure, monitoring visitors through check-in software and educating CCS staff and students through training and drills. The district claims there is significant work behind the scenes not obvious to students to foster safe schools (Current in Carmel).

   While some of these measures may be important in promoting safety by protecting students in the face of an active shooting, measures for safety through preventing crisis in the first place is often less emphasized.

Districts across the country have created dramatic measures, such as bulletproof shelters. 80% of adults support arming teachers, metal detectors and mental health screenings as a safety measure (stigmatizing mental illness as a public safety concern while it severe illness accounts for very few shooting instances, instead posing a greater threat to the individual themselves through self-harm or suicide). 

These measures sound impressive, effective and even tempting to pursue, but the heart of the debate for gun safety in schools should be directed to less formidable options.

It’s time to recognize the underlying conditions threatening gun safety: the deeply-ingrained cultural significance of weapons (gun glorification, the belief that weapons can gain and preserve power (armed supremacy), the lack of true action (political apathy and corruption) the disproportionate gun violence in low-income areas (poverty) and the need to protect those without support (mental health crisis). Five years ago, March for Our Lives started to demand measures addressing these conditions. 

To be a responsible member of your community–gun owner or not– is to understand the innate danger of possessing a weapon. Understanding that magnitude is what will create a mutual movement towards change. 

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Grace Guo at [email protected]. 

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