3 Things Parents Must Know About School Shootings
by Chris Taylor MFT, Author “Back To Basics”
It’s no secret that school shootings are on the rise and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. From 1970 to 2019 there have been 1,316 school shootings. Out of those 18 percent have occurred since 2012. In a comprehensive study of school shootings from 1974 to 2000 conducted by the Secret Service and Department of Education 93% of school shooters planned the attack in advance. In 4 out of 5 school shootings, at least one other person had knowledge of the attacker's plan but failed to report it. A study found that 77% of active shooters spent a week or longer planning their attack. 70% of people who die by suicide tell someone their plans or give some other type of warning signs.
What Should Parents Do?
These statistics should create alarm for parents of teenagers. The question that must be asked is what should parents do to ensure their child never acts on a violent impulse? Although, we will never stop 100 percent of school shootings, here are 3 things parents must know to stop tragedy before it occurs.
Parents Need To Be Involved
1) Understand that teens share their plans with others. In the above statistic it was reported that In 4 out of 5 school shootings, at least one other person had knowledge of the attacker's plan but failed to report it. This means that by parents monitoring social media communications and text exchanges a lot of this information can be uncovered and acted upon. Parents need to be the gatekeepers for communication. Teens should never be allowed unmonitored access to cell phones and computers. Quite frankly it is a life or death issue.
2) With 77 percent of shooters planning their attacks for over a week there is ample time to intervene. Knowledge is key to intervening. Pay attention to changes in your teen’s patterns. Do you see them being more secretive? Are they isolating or spending increased time away from home? Do they seem to be avoiding relationships or seeming more anxious? These can all be warning signs that something is being planned. As a parent, don’t be afraid to check in with your teen about what you are seeing in their behavior. Connection is necessary to eliminate homicidal urges.
3) Don’t underestimate the link between school shootings and suicide. We often view school shooters through the lens of sociopaths, but more often than not their homicidal urges are the result of clinical depression and accompanying thoughts of suicide. With 70 percent sharing their suicidal thoughts, parents can identify the warning signs and provide the needed support. Psychiatric serves and counseling should be a priority. There are enough resources to get your kids the help. Don’t fall into the trap of describing depression as moodiness or teen angst.
Awareness Is Critical
These are just a few topics for parents to be aware of. It is also important to note that if there are firearms in the house, ensure that kids don’t have access. They should remain locked with a biometric fingerprint scanner to gain access. Hide the locked box in a secure location and move it periodically.
We live during a scary time that is overwhelming for families. Awareness and urgent intervention is the only proven way to avoid these tragedies from occurring.
About Christopher Taylor, MFT
Christopher Taylor, MFT is a teen expert, therapist, author, and speaker with 16 years of experience working with teens and families. He provides teen and family therapy services in Folsom, Granite Bay, El Dorado Hills and surrounding areas. Chris is the author and creator of the Back to Basics: Tayloring Your Teen For Success Program, consisting of the book, workbook and online course.