By Lanly Nguyen
Schools are often known to be places for students to learn, to socialize, and most importantly, a safe environment for students. But how safe are schools really?
There's been a recent school shooting down in Saugus High School in Los Angeles, and it's really showing to light how prevalent these are.
Many school shootings have occurred recently, including one in Texas at Santa Fe High School on May 18, 2018. Eight students and two teachers, were fatally shot and thirteen others were wounded.
One of the victims being Kimberly Vaughan, a kind and helpful student who unfortunately died at that school shooting.
Rhona Hart, the mother of Kimberly, didn't know how to feel at the moment; all she hoped for was for her daughter to be safe.
Rhonda says, "I felt a myriad of emotions, frustration, and confusion. I was praying to god that my daughter was safe. I saw other parents embracing their kids as they tried to cover their ears from the gun popping sounds. All I could do at the time was pray as I nervously hoped for my daughter to walk out that building alive."
But Rhonda felt her prayers didn't reach god; she says "The police officers told me that Kimberly was in her art class when she was shot and killed just after 7am in May, and I didn't know about it until 6pm that night."
"I couldn't sleep that night, and overtime I passed by my daughter's bedroom, I'd avoid it like a plague because it hurts to know that her room will be empty forever. I locked myself into my room and cried a river," she adds.
Hart says many students describe Kimberly as a very socially awkward person. Her peers would often pick on her, causing her to change her schedule several times.
But Hart sees her daughter differently even if she is quite awkward, proudly saying "Kimberly's favorite class was American Sign Language. She's had ADHD and problems with noise sensitivity, so this class allowed her to do something physical, but also a way for her to feel soothed. She was also going to start her Gold Award last year, which is the highest level of girl Girl Scouts."
Rhonda has worked for five years as a bus driver for the Santa Fe School District, but decided to quit and move to Texas City with her son, Tyler Vaughan.
Tyler wasn't directly affected by the shooting but he was heavily distressed and anxious after hearing his sister had died.
Others who were indirectly affected can also feel the effects in which EverydayHealth notes, "That could include the injured students, of course, as well as students whose friends were hurt or killed, students who were in the same room as the shooter, students who helped others to safety, or students who had previously interacted with the gunman and/or knew about a possible threat before the fact..."
"I wasn't sleeping well and I was scared of going to school after that; I was afraid that I might die one day. Maybe not that specific day, but with these school shootings, all I know is that no one is safe." says Tyler.
Schools are often known to be places for students to learn, to socialize, and most importantly, a safe environment for students. But how safe are schools really?
There's been a recent school shooting down in Saugus High School in Los Angeles, and it's really showing to light how prevalent these are.
Many school shootings have occurred recently, including one in Texas at Santa Fe High School on May 18, 2018. Eight students and two teachers, were fatally shot and thirteen others were wounded.
One of the victims being Kimberly Vaughan, a kind and helpful student who unfortunately died at that school shooting.
Rhona Hart, the mother of Kimberly, didn't know how to feel at the moment; all she hoped for was for her daughter to be safe.
Rhonda says, "I felt a myriad of emotions, frustration, and confusion. I was praying to god that my daughter was safe. I saw other parents embracing their kids as they tried to cover their ears from the gun popping sounds. All I could do at the time was pray as I nervously hoped for my daughter to walk out that building alive."
But Rhonda felt her prayers didn't reach god; she says "The police officers told me that Kimberly was in her art class when she was shot and killed just after 7am in May, and I didn't know about it until 6pm that night."
"I couldn't sleep that night, and overtime I passed by my daughter's bedroom, I'd avoid it like a plague because it hurts to know that her room will be empty forever. I locked myself into my room and cried a river," she adds.
Hart says many students describe Kimberly as a very socially awkward person. Her peers would often pick on her, causing her to change her schedule several times.
But Hart sees her daughter differently even if she is quite awkward, proudly saying "Kimberly's favorite class was American Sign Language. She's had ADHD and problems with noise sensitivity, so this class allowed her to do something physical, but also a way for her to feel soothed. She was also going to start her Gold Award last year, which is the highest level of girl Girl Scouts."
Rhonda has worked for five years as a bus driver for the Santa Fe School District, but decided to quit and move to Texas City with her son, Tyler Vaughan.
Tyler wasn't directly affected by the shooting but he was heavily distressed and anxious after hearing his sister had died.
Others who were indirectly affected can also feel the effects in which EverydayHealth notes, "That could include the injured students, of course, as well as students whose friends were hurt or killed, students who were in the same room as the shooter, students who helped others to safety, or students who had previously interacted with the gunman and/or knew about a possible threat before the fact..."
"I wasn't sleeping well and I was scared of going to school after that; I was afraid that I might die one day. Maybe not that specific day, but with these school shootings, all I know is that no one is safe." says Tyler.
According to Psycom.net, "It is common for those affected directly or indirectly from trauma to have increased anxiety, inability to trust, depression, decline in academic performance, absence of feelings of safety and security, increased anger..."
Even though Rhonda is not in Santa Fe anymore, she still religiously attends school meetings in which she says, "I could just mope around and be depressed, but I chose not to. I chose to accept this new life, a life without Kimberly as a fact and moved on by getting involved in preventing anymore shootings. She died so tragically but I'm sure she wouldn't have wanted me to just drown myself in deep darkness."
School shootings haven't been prevalent until this age of time, and it's been hypothesized that these mass shootings are becoming into a domino effect.
"These mass killings can be contagious: One killing or shooting increases the chances that others will occur within about 2 weeks, an 'infection' that lasts about 13 days... Access to firearms is a significant predictor of these incidents," according to Adam Lanleford, an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Alabama.
Although domino effects are hard to stop, it's best to solve this problem from the root.
"Many, though not all, of the perpetrators have experienced childhood traumas such as physical and emotional abuse and unstable families, with violent, absent, or alcoholic relations," says Rhitu Chatterjee, a health correspondent with NPR.
"These individuals had been struggling alone--- either because they were unable to ask for help or their cries went unheard when people didn't ask them... Social rejection in school is associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, aggression, and antisocial behavior in children," adds Chatterjee.
So, wether or not you know someone, it's best to give them a smile or a wave; It might make their day.
Even though Rhonda is not in Santa Fe anymore, she still religiously attends school meetings in which she says, "I could just mope around and be depressed, but I chose not to. I chose to accept this new life, a life without Kimberly as a fact and moved on by getting involved in preventing anymore shootings. She died so tragically but I'm sure she wouldn't have wanted me to just drown myself in deep darkness."
School shootings haven't been prevalent until this age of time, and it's been hypothesized that these mass shootings are becoming into a domino effect.
"These mass killings can be contagious: One killing or shooting increases the chances that others will occur within about 2 weeks, an 'infection' that lasts about 13 days... Access to firearms is a significant predictor of these incidents," according to Adam Lanleford, an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Alabama.
Although domino effects are hard to stop, it's best to solve this problem from the root.
"Many, though not all, of the perpetrators have experienced childhood traumas such as physical and emotional abuse and unstable families, with violent, absent, or alcoholic relations," says Rhitu Chatterjee, a health correspondent with NPR.
"These individuals had been struggling alone--- either because they were unable to ask for help or their cries went unheard when people didn't ask them... Social rejection in school is associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, aggression, and antisocial behavior in children," adds Chatterjee.
So, wether or not you know someone, it's best to give them a smile or a wave; It might make their day.