Students Can Live Without School Violence
School violence is a big problem we are facing now. Do we feel safe in school? Not only students are involved in this issue, but teachers are also involved. Every morning when I go to school, I pray for safety in my heart, and so do my parents, and every day I come back home safely as everybody hopes. School is not an absolutely good place for learning anymore. Years ago, parents always told their children go to school earlier, so they could learn more. Every single parent wished their kids would go to school and get a good education. But look at today's society, parents say, "don't go to school too early, because there might be bad people hiding somewhere." Fear of school-related violence kept five percent of high school students home at least once in the month according to the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
School violence stops students from learning. They are afraid, as is everybody. School violence is a result of major facotrs in society today. Family problems, such as parents getting divorced or parents not always being at home; Media, such as movies, TV shows or news; and racism are threatening the safety and security of schools. According to a recent Press Release, The United States Departments of Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services, 1994 stated "every school day more then 150,000 students stay home because they are sick of violence and afraid they might be stabbed, shot, or beaten." (School Violence Let's Get it out of Our System!)
"Family are different today, people are not at home as much as there used to be." Said Gepharat, a congressman, referring to violence issues. Home is the first place where children start to learn. Before entering school, they learn everyhting from home. Home used to present a warm place filled with love where everybody wished to be. Family problems today make the role of family even more important in society. How many run-away kids look for the love they need and the care they want? They can't get it fromhome, so they end up being mean, acting odd and physically show that htey need help. l Family problems cause school violence, we need a safe place to learn. Parents or guardians are responsible from the kids, but the busy work lives they lead they care more about than their kids and this makes children feel left out. Do parents really care about this? Did they realize that the problem is growing bigger and bigger? Parents have to pay more attention to the family, not only for kids but also society.
TV shows are important programs, which kids watch almost everyday. Do you know how important the TV show influences children? Teenagers copy actions or movements from movies and TV shows, why can't the media be careful with the things they show in public? Kids want go be heroes like the actors and actresses on movies, they bring firearms and explosives to school. They think they are cool in that way, but we think they are fools. Callie Khouri, the Academy Award-winning writer of Thelma&Louise, said she was surprised when audiences applauded a scene in her movie in which one of the female lead characters shoots a man. Teenagers copy, they don't think life is important anymore. Kids feel, "because the movie stars can do it, I can do it too." With this horrible sentence stuck in their mind, nothing can stop them from being crazy. "The percent of students reporting street gang presence at school nearly doubled between 1989 to 1995 (National Center for Education statistics/Bureau of Justice Statistics 1998). An estimated sixteen percent of all high school students in this country have been in one or more physical fights on school property in the course of a year (Violence Among Middle School and High School Students: Analysis and Implications for Prevention "National Institutie of Justice 1997). Students have the right to feel safe in school!
With everything going on in this world why is there room for hate, prejudice, discrimination, and racism? Hispanic, Asians and Caucasians, what's that difference between you and me? Peel off your skin, you have blood running inside, you have a skeleton to support your body, and so do I. We share one common thing, earth. Earth is yours, and it is mine. To me there is no such thing as colored. In the streets, racists are spreading fear by using murderous wiolence and terror. The tragedy in Columbine High School brought up the terrible problem, racism, in society today. The Department of Justice reported that students whose family moved frequently and students from racial or ethnic groups that are minorities within the school are more likely to be physically assaulted. Everybody has the right to live safely. Are you unique? For me there is no such word in racial groups. Look inside your heart, we are all the same, no matter what color you are. Racism is a serious cause of violence. People have to realize that this world is not only for you.
What work needs to be done regarding unhealed wounds in society? "Thirty-seven percent of eighth and ninth grade students were afraid of attacks at school." (Longitudinal Study of Selected School Districts 1997). "Four percent of middle and high school students report that they "never feel safe" around school." (Between Hope and Fear, Louis Harris Associates, 1995). School violence decreases along with major factors in society today. Warm families, educated media, and decreasing racism are things that have to be done. We need a safe place to learn and to live!
Works Cited
Between Hope And Fear, Louis Harris Associates, 1995.
Longitudinal Study of Selected School Districts, Research Triangle Institute, 1997.
Violence Among Middle School and High School Students: Analysis and Implications for Prevention. National Institute of Justice, 1997.
The United States Departments of Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services, 1994.
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