School Violence

Tyeshia Michie 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.

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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 Surgeon General," psychological conditions hyperactivity, impulsiveness, daring and short attention p can pose a small risk for violence. Dr. Christopher J. Ferguson of Texas A&M International University notes in The Journal of Pediatrics that depression is a leading cause of youth violence.

Additionally, Thomas Grisso professor of psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School writes in "The Future of Children" that kids with mental disorders are at an increased risk of displaying aggressive behavior. Having access to guns and other weapons may enable students to commit violent acts against their peers. The report "Violence Prevention: The Evidence" by the World Health Organization states limiting access to weapons can lead to a reduction in violent acts. Students may find guns in their homes or acquire guns illegally on the street.

Without access to weapons, however, students would be unable to carry out violent acts. Students who have been bullied may retaliate against their peers. The National School Safety Council notes that many who participate in such acts are bullied or ostracized from their peers. Peers reportedly bullied or ignored the Columbine shooters, which caused their anger. However, the surgeon general notes that violence in the media also may lead kids to engage in aggressive and violent behavior. What Are the Causes of Bullying in Schools?

Bullying is a serious problem in schools and, according to Kids Health, three quarters of kids says that they have been bullied or teased at school as of 2010. Bullying takes a variety of forms and has several detrimental effects on children including depression, stress, sickness, physical injuries and even death. The first step in dealing with bullying is to pinpoint the causes behind bullying and clarify some of its many bullies engage in bullying as a way to draw attention to themselves and make themselves feel important. Unfortunately, according to Education. om, bullies tend to be popular and even admired by classmates for their toughness. This is especially the case in middle schools, where bullies are sometimes regarded as popular and cool. As a consequence, other kids imitate bullying behavior in an effort to increase their popularity. Another myth about bullying is that bullies suffer from low self-esteem and, as a result, bully other kids in order to make themselves feel better. According to Education. com many bullies have high self-esteem and regard themselves in a positive light. It is not uncommon for bullies to have an overly inflated sense of self.

The desire to control and dominate others is a common factor in bullying. Bullies often perceive kids who are smarter or different than them as a threat. Dominating and manipulating the perceived threat allows the bully to minimize the threat and to feel empowered. The bully's sense of satisfaction comes from provoking a reaction from the victims who are being bullied. The best strategy is to ignore a bully if possible. If the bully is unable to provoke a reaction, he may soon grow tired of bullying you. If it is not possible to ignore the bully, the best strategy is to stand up for yourself.

Don't given in to a bully's demands. Always inform a parent, teacher or adult. Bullying behavior is often the result of a repetitive cycle of abuse. Bullies may be victims of abuse at home or they may learn patterns of behavior in which anger, name-calling and other forms of verbal abuse and physical violence are normal. Bullies may s Different Interventions ; Prevention Models of High School Violence According to the "College Student Journal," almost one-quarter of public school students report that they had been the victims of violence at school.

With the proper interventions, high school violence can be prevented or minimized. The National School Safety Center says that if parents, teachers and students work together, school violence can be minimized and, in some instances, eliminated. Parents and guardians are primary gatekeepers in helping to prevent high school violence. Parents must be aware of the influences their children receive whether through television, video games or other people to minimize exposure to violence. Parents need to teach their children to be empathetic and compassionate so that violence will not be tolerable to them.

High school violence can often be thwarted by providing counselors for students. Counselors can help students with decision making and can teach alternatives to violent behaviors. The school milieu is sometimes the only opportunity high school students have to talk about their problems and get suggestions about reasonable solutions, according to the The National School Safety Center. The National School Safety Center says that a proper level of security can be an effective preventative for high school violence.

Security personnel on staff can head off violence and must be alert for weapons such as guns or knives. Metal detectors can be installed to aid in weapons detection, if necessary. "College Student Journal" suggests that the high school buildings be evaluated to identify areas that could facilitate violent events for example, doors that do not open properly (should students need to escape) or doors that are too accessible to potential violent offenders. Meditation is another intervention that can be successful in preventing violence.

According to National School Safety Center, mediation can help the students to relax, calm their thoughts, reduce stress and ultimately "prevent violent attitudes among the students. “Anger management sessions are a necessary part of intervention so that high school students can learn how to control rage and other intense emotions. Conflict-management strategies that focus on how to avoid fighting and other threatening behaviors can prevent violence. Peer mediation is another effective method to manage conflict in a high school.

With this method, student leaders are trained in mediation and, with supervision; help settle conflicts among their peers. Violence prevention models help both parents and students to develop effective communication skills that will enhance peer development. Some techniques include role playing, with role reversal, so that the students can experience both sides of a violent interaction, or decision-making exercises that teach them what to do in potentially violent situations. Other skills include educating the students on the risks of violence in a descriptive manner that gives them a realistic picture of the impact of high school violence.

Conclusion As far as this issue is concerned the solution to the problem will be identifying the root of the problem. Some people are quick to blame the media, while some blame parents, and others blame the schools. Americans need to try to take control of today's youth and the violence that is and has been developing in this country for many years. Although school violence will never be extinct, there are many different ways to reduce violence. 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

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