What Causes School Violence?
April 20, 1999 started out like any other Tuesday morning. But within a few hours, life at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, would never be the same again. And tragically, for some, life itself would have ended. Two high school students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, armed with an arsenal of guns and ammunition had gone on a rampage of killing. They had planned the massacre well in advance and had also planted numerous bombs throughout the school, delaying the removal of the bodies of their victims even after the two gunmen had taken their own lives and the shooting was over. Their suicide came after killing twelve other students and a dedicated teacher who had tried desperately to protect the students. This was the worst school shooting incident that had ever occurred in the United States. And the big question was why? Why had two bright students from affluent homes planned such a horrible crime of mass murder? Various theories were advanced from the time the news broke,
It would be simpler to understand school violence if it were caused by only one thing, but it’s not. Although many factors contribute to school violence, experts agree on at least two: breakdown of communication and availability of weapons. When kids have problems at home or school, they need resources to help them work through those problems. If parents are unavailable, the children either won’t know how to cope or they’ll have to find another means to alleviate stress. Some children spend limited time with their families. They occupy themselves with activities that involve little social interaction, such as electronic games, television, and the Internet. If these children have difficulty controlling their impulses when they are troubled, they may turn to extreme measures, including violence. When they are hurt or angry, thoughts of revenge can make them feel powerful and they may turn to violence to try to grab and hold that feeling of power. If they have access to weapons, the viole
