Protecting our Youth: Gun Control in Schools
Format
Oral Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Marcia Hernandez
Faculty Mentor Department
Sociology
Abstract/Artist Statement
The amount of school shootings and youth violence has increased exponentially in recent years with 305 recorded school shootings in America since 2013 alone. These shootings along with increased violence in schools, and a decrease in school funding and support, have sparked major debate on the issue of gun control laws and school security. Schools and policy makers throughout the United States have tried to come up with ways to combat this issue and improve these horrific statistics. Some legislators and school districts recently have proposed institutional, governmental-supported changes such as propositioning teachers to carry guns in the classrooms as a form of defense. Some states and school districts are implementing a very different approach; they are enforcing more psychological and emotional support with counselors and school programs as a potential fix. This study seeks to understand and explore the different potential solutions to violence that have been implemented in schools as well as what real teachers and school personnel think should be done as an appropriate response. Through an in-depth analysis, this study found that more teachers and school personnel are inclined to advocate for programs that educate them on the signs of at risk youth, and combating the effects of hegemonic masculinity in schools rather than advocating for more guns and security within schools. Based on the literature, we argue that the increase in school violence may be attributed to the lack of support and funds that schools receive from the government, current gun control laws, and the culture of hegemonic masculinity in the United States.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Room 211
Start Date
28-4-2018 3:20 PM
End Date
28-4-2018 3:40 PM
Protecting our Youth: Gun Control in Schools
DeRosa University Center, Room 211
The amount of school shootings and youth violence has increased exponentially in recent years with 305 recorded school shootings in America since 2013 alone. These shootings along with increased violence in schools, and a decrease in school funding and support, have sparked major debate on the issue of gun control laws and school security. Schools and policy makers throughout the United States have tried to come up with ways to combat this issue and improve these horrific statistics. Some legislators and school districts recently have proposed institutional, governmental-supported changes such as propositioning teachers to carry guns in the classrooms as a form of defense. Some states and school districts are implementing a very different approach; they are enforcing more psychological and emotional support with counselors and school programs as a potential fix. This study seeks to understand and explore the different potential solutions to violence that have been implemented in schools as well as what real teachers and school personnel think should be done as an appropriate response. Through an in-depth analysis, this study found that more teachers and school personnel are inclined to advocate for programs that educate them on the signs of at risk youth, and combating the effects of hegemonic masculinity in schools rather than advocating for more guns and security within schools. Based on the literature, we argue that the increase in school violence may be attributed to the lack of support and funds that schools receive from the government, current gun control laws, and the culture of hegemonic masculinity in the United States.