by Diana Castro-Vazquez

School is supposed to be a place where we feel safe. When kids are about five years old, they start going to school. They might be scared or shy on the first day of school, but school eventually becomes fun. Children make new friends and find new hobbies. The parent’s biggest worry should be what their children’s lunch should be, will they ride the bus or not, what are they going to wear for picture day and the like – not if their child will safely come home today or not.

“Will my child come home today” is what parents around the country ask themselves daily. Parents of elementary, middle, high school and college students now wonder if this is the last time they will hear their children’s voices.

Gun violence and school shootings is uniquely an American epidemic. Nowhere else in the world do you see school shootings at the level that you see them in America. According to Sandy Hook Promise, since the Columbine High massacre in 1999, more than 338,000 students in the U.S. have experienced gun violence at school. Though the federal government does not track school shootings, The Washington Post has dedicated years to tracking how many children in the U.S. have been exposed to gun violence during school hours since the Columbine High massacre in 1999. The Washington Post has been keeping track of school shootings and compiled them in a list that you can see on their website. There have been 386 school shootings since Columbine. The Post has found that at least 201 children, educators and others have been killed, and another 430 have been physically injured.

Unfortunately, we are starting to see an increase in school shootings at colleges and universities. The most recent was the school shooting at UNC Chapel Hill on August 28, 2023. Tailei Qi, a grad student, shot and killed his faculty advisor, Zijie Yan. According to CNN News, shots were fired at 1:02 p.m. at the school’s Caudill Laboratories and a suspect was taken into custody shortly after 2:30 p.m. Despite this, the “all-clear” signal was not given until a couple more hours. Just 15 days later, the campus went under another lockdown caused by an armed person near or on campus. These two events are leaving students traumatized and our deepest condolences to everyone.

As a student, we must remain vigilant and aware of our surroundings. School shootings are not the only thing to worry about. Early morning on September 8, 2023, a student was attacked and assaulted outside our campus, walking on W. McGee Street near Wafco Mills Apartments and Weaver Center. GC security sent an email that afternoon stating that the student said that while he was walking, a group of five to six males passed by him. They then turned around and started following him. When he looked back, the group started running towards him and physically assaulted him.

These are some examples of ways to keep ourselves safe that GC security provided: keep your phone with you at all times and make sure it is always charged before leaving your residence; stay focused, do not be distracted by your phone; always tell a family member or a close friend if you plan to go out; be aware of your surroundings and avoid poorly lit areas; if you are being followed, go to a well-lit area where there are other people and ask for help; avoid headphones when you are out alone; walk with a friend or group but never alone if possible; always scan everyone around you and keep a safe distance away.

We no longer feel safe at school. Children no longer feel safe at school. It is sad and it is an epidemic. There needs to be gun control – this is no longer about political parties but about human lives. Get yourself informed about gun violence and what you can do. Practice gun safety and lock away your guns. According to the U.S. Department of Education and Secret Service, in four out of five school shootings, at least one other person had knowledge of the attacker’s plan but failed to report it. If you hear any threats, let someone know. Stay safe.