My view of school shootings as a school counselor
I spent over 14 years as an Elementary School teacher and counselor. Before the social media surge, I helped create one of the first bullying programs for the largest public school systems in Texas. I was personally bullied as a child. The latest school massacre was just miles from where my son lives. We all say we “hate” what is happening to our children. Do we hate it enough to become the advocates that protect our children and educators in the future?
Evil always preys on innocence. Evil will use knives, bombs, or any other weapon of choice. The Bible says that our enemy comes to “steal, kill and to destroy.” He will not stop, so we must be vigilant in preventing further harm. As someone said, “We will never create enough laws to control evil because evil does not obey laws.”
As evidenced by continued shootings, the government can’t do it all. Our first responders can’t do it all. It’s time we as Americans step in on behalf of the future generations of this country and become the change by beginning with the following:
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Allow and encourage families and friends in the community to be mentors and defenders in our schools.
No additional tax money is necessary if parents, aunts, uncles, or grandparents volunteer their time to organize a constant presence at their local schools. When hearts filled with evil are confronted by men and women who are ready to take action, the innocent are protected and evil is met with justice. “Dads on Duty” in Louisiana is a great example.
Just roaming the hallways with keen eyes for troubled kids or suspicious activity is a welcomed help to teachers and administrators. Of course, any successful mentoring program should include a training program, background check, etc., but the most important element is that kids are given access to their mentor day and night. Kids must know they have a safe person available to them at all times. Kids should also meet with their mentor at least once per week. The reality is that unfit parents abound in our society. Having kids never qualifies anyone to be a good parent. The shooter’s mother in the Uvalde attack was allegedly a drug addict and the father was cited as having a detailed criminal history. Kids need reliable adults in their lives who provide consistency. Retired teachers, counselors, law enforcement officers, and a host of others throughout our communities are well-suited to be safe mentors for our kids. It’s time to put our resources to work.
Identify children in crisis and intervene sooner rather than later. At the root of the Robb Elementary massacre was a young man with a heart issue. Reported as a “loner” by peers, he was clearly isolated — whether by choice or by force. In his isolation, he reportedly slashed his face and showed others. Where were the adults in his community who recognized his crisis? There are many more like him in our schools who are slipping through the cracks, and if we want to be part of preventing another tragedy, we must accept and address the heart issue in America that has led to alarming mental health reports. 10% of Americans now use anti-depressants. Since the pandemic, that statistic has risen 20%. According to the CDC, 2021 had the highest recorded number of drug overdoses in the history of our country. We are facing an epidemic of parents and kids with mental issues.
The Uvalde shooter was clearly consumed with anger and rage and acted on it. Where was the adult coaching him after he found out he wasn’t going to graduate? Where was the adult who was friends with him on social media so that his postings could be monitored? His heart was a mess because his life was a mess. We don’t know much about the grandmother, but we know he shot her in the face. We must create a program to identify kids in crisis, and assign an adult that they KNOW is on their side, and who purposely cares for them by checking on them consistently. Kids without accountability drop through the cracks — until they make national news for all the wrong reasons.
We need men.
There is one distinct quality about mass shooters — they are all males. The absence of fathers in families has created a void for boys. Boys need male role models who can show them how to be compassionate, firm, disciplined men. According to the U.S. Census in 2012, 70 percent of gang members came from single-mother homes. As crime rates continue to rise, the need for male mentors is clear.
In the movie “The Equalizer” starring Denzel Washington, the main character killed a mob of professional assassins with items in a home and garden store. Cain killed Abel with a rock so we must shift our focus, as weapons will always be plentiful for criminal intent. How can we personally assist our schools? How can we personally stand in the gap for kids who have no one to pray for them, protect them, or encourage them? Neither our politicians nor our government can save us from this moral and societal decay. It is time for the people of God to do what Jesus commanded in the first word of the Great Commission in Matthew 28: “Go.” They’re not coming to us, so we must go to them and be the light of the world. It’s all about the heart — ours and theirs.
Shannon Perry is an award-winning TV show host, author, and sought-after speaker for organizations and events around the U.S. including her conference for mothers and teen girls called “In Her Shoes.” She spent 14 years as a school counselor and teacher and is a Certified Instructor in Parenting Classes and Crisis Counseling. She holds a master’s degree in Education and Counseling and is a regular contributor for Focus on the Family Magazine and Brio Magazine for teen girls. She has written four books including her Reader’s Favorite Award-winning title, Stand: Staying Balanced with Answers for Real Teen Life, and her parenting book, The Overlooked Generation: Parenting Teens and Tween in a Complicated Culture. For more information visit https://www.shannonperry.com/.
