Professor Silverstein
English 102
School Violence
School violence is the term used to define violence or any form of arrogance that happens inside a school. Some of the known forms of school violence are student gangs, bullying, physical attacks on fellow students, and physical attacks on the school staffs. This is becoming a very serious issue in the United States where the school violence rates are extremely high with students possessing knives, guns and other weapons at will. In the earlier days, schools were the safest places for students. Students were safer than they were at their homes because they were being monitored each and every second by the school staffs and other fellow students, but it is no longer the same because of the alarming increase of school violence inside the school premises. The school authorities are not able to control such inclement activities inside the school and parents all over the world are concerned with this very serious issue because their children are prone to be victims of school violence.
Leading Causes of School Violence
Pinpointing causes of school violence is a difficult task. It is difficult to categorize the numerous school violence attacks that have occurred. Each case has different circumstances. The majority of researchers agree that school violence is the result of a society unable to always distinguish between good or bad choices and right or wrong moral decisions but have suggested various theories on what may lead a student to incite violence. Children who witness domestic violence in the home and who are not taught otherwise are likely to internalize such behavior as appropriate means of dealing with conflicts in the school. Such students who get in confrontations with other students may be predisposed to engage in physical violence. Students who grow up in communities with street violence also may react violently to perceived threats. According to "Youth Violence: A Report by the
References: Surgeon General: Youth Violence Prevention -- A Report of the Surgeon General Reuters: Depression, Peers Top Influences on Youth Violence The Future of Children: Adolescent Offenders with Mental Disorders World Health Organization: Violence Prevention USA Today: 10 Years Later the Real Story behind Columbine College Student Journal: The Root of School Violence: Causes and Recommendations for a Plan of Action. The National School Safety Center: Proven Preventive Measure for School Violence. Adolescence: School Violence: Prevalence and Intervention Strategies for At-risk Adolescents. Kids Health: Dealing With Bullies Education: Some Myths and Facts about Bullies and Victims