How the Social Service Agencies are Required to Reduce School Violence Incidents in America - Essay Example

Should bring guns to campus? The Sun (March 12, , reported that a GUNMAN has shot two people at a high school in California - less thana month after 26 were slaughtered in the Sandy Hook massacre. It follows last months slaughter by Adam Lanza who killed 20 young children and six adults at the Sandy Hook elementary school - reigniting the gun laws debate in the US (Two shot in yet another school shooting in America). Sandy Hook massacre shook America recently and the public debates over the topic of gun control heated up again. That is why I decided to investigate this problem deeply. Even though Americans are concerned with the growing school violence incidents, a plausible solution to this problem seems to be distant even now. Obama shed tears when he heard the Sandy Hook massacre. He has taken pledge to avoid such incidents in future and declared that the gun control measures will be strengthened. However, Obama’s assurance was not materialized so far and school violence incidents are repeating again and again. The reason for increased school violence can be attributed to many things. However, the major reason seems to be the permission given to the students to carry guns when they enter school campuses. Politicians, sociologists and ordinary people have different opinions about the gun control in school campuses. Advocates of gun control believe that students should not be allowed to carry gun to schools since schools are institutions intended for education; not for violence. On the other hand, critics of gun control argue that government and public agencies failed miserably to ensure protection and security to the life and properties of people. Therefore students should be allowed to carry guns to school to protect themselves. This paper analyses this problem from different angles and provides some solutions. Problem The second amendments in United States’ constitution protect the right of individuals to bear arms. Self-defense is accepted as a human right in America. However, the wisdom of allowing immature students to handle gun like dangerous weapons cannot be justified under any circumstances. Even though president Obama expressed deep concerns about the gun control laws in America, after the Sandy Hook massacre, his earlier stands were neither in favor nor against the strengthening of gun control laws in America. According to Obama, “the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms, but he also identify with the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues our streets through common-sense, effective safety measures” (O’connor). Even Obama is not clear in his views about the prohibition of guns in school campuses. It should be noted that America is a country in which human rights are valued very much. Any attempts made by the government to restrict guns in schools may bring lot of criticism with respect to human right violation. That is why Obama like politicians are taking cautious approaches while dealing with school violence incidents. According to Sen. John McCain “residents across America should be able to exercise their constitutional right to have access to firearms to protect themselves"(Marimmow). In short, the Second Amendment in the constitution seems to be working against the interests of gun control advocates. Judiciary seems to be against the idea of strengthening of gun control laws. “After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that cities and states must respect the right of individuals to own handguns for self-defense, Mayor Richard M. Daley declared the justices to be divorced from reality" (Chapman). Along with politicians, Judiciary also supports the idea of self-defense and the rights of people in carrying guns. Carrying of gun or any other dangerous weapons is disallowed in schools in many countries. In all such countries, school violence incidents are less. Even though politicians, judiciary and scholars talk too much about the individual rights in having guns, they talk less about the wisdom of allowing immature children to carry guns to schools. It should not be forgotten that the Bill of Rights and the Second Amendment are intended for adults; not for children. Children during their developmental stages show lot of aggressive behavior. They do not have the wisdom to segregate between the good and evil. They may not bother much about the consequences when they engage in aggressive behaviors. Under such circumstances, the logic of allowing immature children to carry dangerous weapons cannot be justified. Another argument in favor of children carrying guns to schools is that guns have the ability to repel crime. Kleck and Kates (2001) have argued that “Liberal allowances of concealed handgun carry by thirty one states have coincided with a reduction of thousands of murders, rapes and other violent crimes in those states” (p.17). It is a fact that rape and sexual violence are growing day by day in America. Antisocial elements are exploiting school children in many ways. Allowing school children to carry guns may definitely help them to escape from the iron fists of antisocial elements. However, it is difficult for children to use guns judiciously. In other words, children do not have the wisdom to use guns only in unavoidable circumstances. It is evident from some of the recent school shooting incident that children are using guns even for silly reasons. Newspapers reported that the prime culprit Adam Lanza of Sandy Hook massacre was brought up under single parenthood. In other words, he failed to get the love and care of his father. Failure to get proper care from parents may transform even non-aggressive children into aggressive ones. It should not be forgotten that children carrying all their dissatisfactions and frustrations from the family to schools along with guns. Human life is the most valuable thing in this world. Even though science and technology advanced a lot in recent past, still it is unable to create an artificial life. In other words, once taken, nobody can return a life back. Under such circumstances, it is the duty of the government and authorities to give enough security to human life. While Bill of Rights or Second Amendments allow children to carry guns on the grounds of self-defense, none of these constitutional laws guarantee the protection of innocent lives. The life of innocent people is more important than the life of the attacker or the culprit. Innocent people or less aggressive children will not carry guns to school under normal circumstances. It is illogical to force all students to carry guns to schools. Schools are institutions which are intended for learning, not for violence. Solutions Strengthening of existing gun control laws is one of the major solutions for this problem. Even though gun control laws are there, the authorities are not much sincere in implementing it. The Second Amendments in constitution which allows people to carry guns should be modified. This constitutional protection should be given only to adults and matured people. Under no circumstances, children should be allowed to carry guns to schools. Awareness about constitutional rights and human rights among people should be increased with the help of social service agencies. In classes, moral education should be emphasized more. Teachers should find enough time to read the minds of students. They should provide counseling to problematic students. Parents should take more interests in the caring of children. They should make sure that children are carrying only textbooks and notebooks while going to schools. Before children leaving home, parents should check all the baggage of children to make sure that no dangerous weapons are inside. Instead of putting the responsibility of self-defense on the shoulders of children, authorities should take control of such things. Schools in America should be given enough police protection to prevent the intrusion of antisocial elements. Moreover, screening of students should be done at school gates to prevent the entry of guns into school campuses. Metal detectors can be used at school gates to seize guns and other dangerous weapons. To conclude, combined effort, of school authorities, parents, government and other social service agencies are required to reduce school violence incidents in America. Works Cited Chapman, Steve. "Chicago Gun Control: The Sequel." Chicago Tribune. 01 July 2010. Print Kleck, Gary and Kates, Don B. “Armed: New Perspectives in Gun Control”. 2001. Publisher: Prometheus Books (November 2001). Print. Marimow, Ann E. "Bills Take New Aim at D.C. Gun Control." Washington Post. 28 Apr. 2010. Print. O’connor, Anahad. "Gun-Control Supporters Show Outrage”. The New York Times News. 03 July 2011. Print. “Two Shot In Yet Another School Shooting In America”. The Sun. March 12, 2013. Print Read More