It is estimated (by the FBI) that there are up to 400 million guns (393,000,000) in America. That number is greater than the US population (326,474,000). Not everyone owns a gun. The average gun owner owns almost eight (8) guns. Gun ownership is guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution.
But the frequency of guns in school have increased. The Oxford High School shooting in Michigan where a 15-year-old high school sophomore killed three students and a teacher and injured seven others was, according to Education Week, the 28th school shooting this year.
On December 9th, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina reported that seven guns were found in one week in Wake County.
One of the weapons found in Elizabeth City, NC was an AK-47 with a 30-round clip.
According to Education Week “Teachers and educators across the nation have reported a rise in violence ever since students have returned to classrooms from Covid-19 shutdowns”. The organization reported that there have been 38 school shootings this year and 23 since August 1 and the number keeps on rising. As of December 2nd. 21 guns have been confiscated on a Charlotte-Mecklenburg School campus.
How have students been able to obtain these weapons? In the overwhelming number of cases, from their homes, because parents have failed to properly secure them.
Who should be held accountable if a child brings a weapon to school? The school or the people who made the weapon readily available? According to the FBI’s The School Shooter Report , “there isn’t a profile of a school shooter”. If there isn’t a profile how can schools identify a school shooter? People are suing Oxford High School for not taking action . What kind of action should be taken if there isn’t a reliable way of identifying a school shooter?
One way is for states to pass “Secure Storage Laws” making people libel for the improper storage of weapons.