Gun violence is more prevalent in the US than ever before
The number one leading cause of mortality rate for kids and teens in the USA is firearms, according to KFF, an independent source for health policy research. About 4,733 kids and teens died of firearms in 2021. Gun violence has skyrocketed in the last 53 years. For instance in 2022, school shootings increased by 12 times compared to 1970. This has caused much distress in schools across the nation. Not only are school shootings causing many casualties, but Americans who are gun owners are also more likely to die of suicide and murder.
Drama teacher Arden Smith said, “I feel that we live in a state that is progressive with gun laws. I used to live in a state that was not as aware [of gun laws] I felt a lot less safe.”
California is ranked highest out of states with the strictest gun laws. California has led the way for gun safety in the United States as of Jan. 2024, with a composite score of 89.5 based on the presence of 50 key gun safety policies.
Amya Broussard ‘25 said “[Guns] makes me feel unsafe and kinda scared for my safety, but I do feel better knowing that California has stricter laws.”
School shootings are the most prevalent way we talk about gun violence in America. In the 1990’s school shootings would break out and start a trickling effect on the rest of the states in the US. Since the Columbine school shooting in 1999, the US has had 417 school shootings . And in the year 2024, there have already been 50 school shootings.
Smith said, “I know my plan if a school shooting would ever occur, so I have security in that. And feel I could make a quick decision in the event [a school shooting] happened.”
Gun violence will probably never go away, but here are some ways that we can reduce the casualties that come with people having easy access to guns: reduce access to military guns; have constant background checks on people who have guns; if there are other people in the home where the gun is placed there should be background checks on them as well. These policies would result in better security for guns.
Broussard ‘25 said, “I wish that we didn’t have to be so scared of guns shooting up our schools, it sucks you know. Especially since a lot of the people affected are teens and kids, it’s sad.”
Time and time again we have seen the tragedy that has come with gun violence for both adults and kids. There need to be more consequences for gun violence, and more ways that we can reduce deaths that should not be occurring. Violence is not something to joke or laugh about, it should be something that we’re trying to get rid of in the US.
