Stop the Shootings! by Khayriyyah Muhammad

There have been 288 school shootings in the U.S since 2009. That is 57 times as many shootings as the other major industrialized nations combined.

There does not seem to be an official definition for a mass shooting in the United States, but according to the Gun Violence Archive, a mass shooting is described as four or more individuals being shot or killed in the same general time and location.

Like mass shootings in general, school shootings have gone from being a rare tragedy to a tragic reality. Already this year there have been more than a dozen instances of gun violence in U.S. schools.

“I would think the U.S. has more mass killings than any country,” said freshman Allen Reed.

According to the PolitiFact Web site, the U.S. has more mass shootings - and more people cumulatively killed or injured - than the other 10 nations combined, according to their research.

As mass shootings sadly become more commonplace, it is hard not to wonder how they affect the children attending school. Do kids today worry more about maintaining their own safety than their math homework?

“If I was a victim of a school shooting or even a mass shooting, I would be traumatized,” said freshman football player Jaden Bynum.

According to the NBCnews website, parents should check on their children and family members and make sure they are okay at school. Parents and guardians want to know the environment their kids are in is safe, and that they do not really have to worry about anything.

“If my children were victims of any type of school shooting, I would freak out!” said Na’ilah Brown.

Many parents, however, are experiencing a categorical shift in how they approach school preparedness with their children. Now, folded into lectures about homework and grades, parents are engaging their kids in serious discussions about school shootings and lockdown protocol.

Parkland shooting Survivors Speaking Out

According to CNN, there have been 23 school shootings so far this year including the tragedies at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and Sante Fe High School in Texas. These deadly incidents have bolstered public debates about gun control and mental health resources over the years, and have sparked youth-led, internationally recognized movements, including #NeverAgain and March For Our Lives.