Our Children And Violence In Schools

#Running head: VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS

Our Children and Violence in Schools



On Monday March 21, 2005 another tragic event in a school setting; Red Lake High School, located on a Minnesota Chippewa Indian reservation, a 17-year old student shot and killed five students, a teacher, and a security guard and injured about 15 others before killing himself.   About 110 students, teachers, relatives of school shooters, and the shooters themselves have been shot to death since 1996.   This does not include the wounded victims and the emotional scars that have left on so many family members left behind (Van Zandt 2005).   School shootings and violence is not a new subject.   They have been happening for many years.
In the poor section of American cities, including New York, Detroit, Newark, N.J., Chicago and Los Angeles, an increasing number of youth are resorting to violence, even killing for stylish clothes. Police began observing the trend that started in the mid-1900s, including armed robbery, which was increasing at an alarming rate. Sometimes it is athletic or leather jackets, other times it is a greed or competition for sneakers. In other cities, the object of desire is a specific brand of down parka.
In November 1998, an 18-year-old was shot to death for his Triple F.A.T. Goose parka and $70 Nike sneakers (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003). In 1999, a little girl was killed when she unknowingly wore a red sweater to school, apparently unaware that it was also the color favored by the street gang, the Bloods. Another boy was beaten when he wore a pair of British Knights sneakers that had been adopted by archrival gang the Crypts. In Chicago, four youths were killed for their waist length warm-up jackets that sold for between $90 and $200 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1999). So many high schools have banned excessive jewelry and shear ling coats to protect kids from assault.
The ages of violent children range from seven to 19....