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Stopping School Violence: Signs of Trouble
The result of dead and wounded students, faculty, and staff at schools across our nation is directly related to an appalling mix of anger, no skills to vent the anger, the lack of a trusted adult to turn to, and the accessibility of firearms.
Children deserve a safe place to learn in, and school homicides are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to school violence. Anything involving threats, knives, fistfights, or firearms is considered violence- and it is intolerable and unwarranted. Such threats can keep students from attending school, discourage them from going to after-school events, and leave them in fear everyday.
To help keep everyone involved with the schools and the community safer, everyone must play their part. The first thing that we must always pay close attention to, are the obvious signs of trouble. The following is a list of signs that kids are troubled and how we can get them the help they need before it’s too late.
Ø Interest lacks in school
Ø Absence of anger control skills
Ø Always seeing self as the victim
Ø Disregard or refusal to follow rules
Ø Pet or other animal cruelty
Ø Depiction of anger, isolation, or violence in writing or artwork
Ø Constantly talking about weapons or violence
Ø Violent games or TV show obsession
Ø Depression or mood swings
Ø Bringing any kind of weapon to school, or talking about it
Ø Bully
Ø Unexplained jealousy
Ø Interest of or involvement with gangs
Ø Choosing isolation from family and friends
The more of these signs that you notice, the greater the chance of the child needing serious help. If your child is showing some of these signs, and he/she won’t speak to you about it, see if a relative, a teacher, a counselor, a religious leader, a coach, or another adult can help out with the situation. Be sure that you get help right away though. We’ve already seen the tragedies struck by failure to report the signs. Remember your resources: counselors, mental health clinics, family doctor, psychologists, church directors, dean of students, etc. The faster the problem is taken care of, the more likely it can be resolved without serious or deadly consequences.
If you recognize any of these signs in someone else’s child, constructively and immediately express concern to the parent(s) or guardian. They may already be taking some kind of action, and would more than likely appreciate your support. If the parents show low interest, speak to the child’s teacher or counselor.
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