Above photo: According to Brianna Rodriguez, mass shootings happen all too often across the U.S. and need to be addressed to prevent the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School from happening again. Courtesy of Maria Ximena
By Brianna Rodriguez
Shots are still ringing and the images of bloodshed still linger in the minds of students, faculty and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
As someone who grew up in Coral Springs, which borders the high school’s city, I never imagined that one of the worst school shootings in history would take place so close to my hometown.
This was the first unexpected tragedy to happen where I grew up, but not the first of its kind.
Multiple school shootings have taken place for over a century. However, Columbine was the first to change school policies. Changes in dress code, campus security and police response practices were made to enhance safety in schools.
According to the New York Times, despite the changes, there have been over 200 school shootings since Sandy Hook — more than a decade after Columbine.
This needs to end. But how?
I’m reminded of a scene in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” The original 1971 movie featured the scene of the golden goose that laid golden eggs, and a machine would decide whether the egg was good or bad. Without the machine, the viewer wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
The shooter displayed many red flags, but in a school with over 3,000 students, there is always a possibility of a bad egg and sometimes we are unable to tell the difference. One bad egg can ruin a whole basket. In this case, a whole community.
Although difficult, it is incredibly important that red flags are noticed. It is one issue if we are unaware of a person’s behavior. It is another if we are aware and nothing is done about it. That person may never take action, but it is better to take precautions than ignore the signs of a potential shooter.
This goes not only for school shootings, but mass shootings in general.
We can argue on social media all day about gun laws and mental health, but nothing will change unless something is done about it.
As mentioned before, policies have changed a little bit over time but more needs to be done. It is crucial that the government overhauls its policies to diminish the chances of this happening again.
At the same time, tragedies are not always preventable.
We shouldn’t live in constant fear that someone is going to kill us while we carry out our day-to-day lives, but there are only so many preventive tactics that can be taken.
We are already searched and forced through metal detectors before going on a plane or attending a concert.
Some suggest starting these extreme practices at school. But is traumatizing students in a way that might not even solve the problem really worth it?
I don’t know what the right answer is. I also don’t know if there is a right answer.
What I do know is that the U.S. undergoes more than one mass shooting per day and one school shooting per week.
Mass shootings need to cease. No more blood should be shed.
