Can We Stop the Violence?

Good morning and welcome to Friday Feelings. All month, we’re focusing on teens and the trials they face as they move toward being adults. Today, it’s all about school violence and exactly what everyone can do to curtail school violence.
Can we stop the violence?
So many people have been asking that question for at least two centuries. School violence isn’t a new problem. Until the advent of radio and television, it often took months for news to reach other communities about incidents of school violence. Before that time, many people never learned about the problems. Ever.
Yet, we do have the solution right in front of us, if people are willing to listen. Unfortunately, at this point, people are only interested in expressing their own viewpoints and screaming that the other guy is wrong.
What is the solution? you ask.
It’s a complicated one but begins with keeping the news media away from the scene of school violence. Yes, there is such a thing as freedom of the press, but that doesn’t mean they have access to an active crime scene. In fact, they can be arrested for interfering with an investigation if they persist when told to leave.
Over the last decade, reporters have taken to inserting their opinions into a story. They whip up their viewers to a frenzy when reporting on school violence. One station in Tennessee even had parents contacting them during one of these events for information. It was the same information the police chief was giving to parents about where to go. To many people’s horror, those people who did contact this station saw their words being used as sound bites to inflate the sense of danger when in fact the situation was under control and no students were injured while they were being evacuated.
This is why the news media needs to be away from the scene and in an area where they can receive reports of what’s happening. They have no need to be on the scene, showing images of terrorized children being evacuated and speculating on what happened. Their job, their only job, is to report the facts of the matter.
Next, we need everyone involved with teens—parents, teachers, administrators, and law enforcement—to work together to decide on a way to prevent future problems. Students might not like being left out of this, but the people involved here have information and organizational skills that will bring about a resolution that will work for everyone. This can’t be done on the local level, but has to be done nationally.
Finally, the students can help. Yes, I really did include the students. They’re in the schools. They’re seeing what’s happening. But they aren’t speaking up until after the violence has erupted. That has to stop. Students need to speak to a teacher, resource officer, or administrator if they suspect something. A suspicion is just that—information to be investigated and actions to be watched to see if someone needs to step in. Again, this won’t happen instantaneously. It takes time to figure out if someone is just being weird or if they may cause a problem.


About K.C. Sprayberry
Living a dream she’s had since she first discovered the magic of books. K.C. Sprayberry traveled the U.S. and Europe before finally settling in the mountains of Northwest Georgia. She’s been married to her soulmate for nearly a quarter of a century and they enjoy spoiling their grandchildren along with many other activities.
A multi-genre author, K.C. Sprayberry is always on the hunt for new stories. Inspiration strikes at the weirdest times and drives her to grab notebook and pen to jot down her ideas. Those close to her swear nothing or no one is safe if she’s smiling gently in a corner and watching those in the same room interact. Her observations have often given her ideas for her next story, set not only in the South but wherever the characters demand they settle.

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