Introduction
Social problems exist due to the presence of cultural, economic, and spiritual differences in communities. They expose the existing disagreements, disparities, and challenges many people with diverse backgrounds encounter in their lives. The selected problem for this analysis is that of mass shootings in American schools. Teachers and learners tend to be on the receiving end when troubled individuals acquire firearms to kill innocent children in educational facilities. Mass shootings present numerous challenges since they claim lives, leave others injured, and disorient academic activities. Scholars and policymakers could examine this problem from the lens of a social issue since it is linked to disparities, poor mental health support, and ineffective gun control policies. The key problems associated with it include the inability to predict future shootings, poor educational outcomes, increased fear among learners, and additional cases of truancy. This social problem is relevant and worth analyzing in an effort to propose evidence-based solutions.
Symbolic Interaction Theory
Sociological theories guide scholars to identify, define, and describe a wide range of challenges community members encounter in their lives. The most appropriate framework for analyzing mass shootings in learning institutions is symbolic interaction theory. According to Sun et al. (2020), such a framework explains how individuals lead their lives in accordance with the symbols available in the environment and the natural world. Human beings will develop or create unique signs that form an integral part of their imaginations (Sun et al., 2020). Through the power of reciprocal interaction, individuals will experience unique meanings and act accordingly. They will go further to interpret notable actions and replicate them whenever interacting with other members of society.
Based on this sociological perspective, it is usually impossible to isolate learning institutions from the wider community. Citizens who have access to firearms and fail to be restrained might choose to act in a violent manner. Gregory (2020) acknowledges that increased access to violent movies, video games, and comics could influence young individuals negatively. Such people tend to modify the recorded meanings in an interpretive manner and apply the emerging ideas to deal with a wide range of issues in society. With the current lack of proper gun control mechanisms, young people who have access to weapons might act out of sheer ignorance or engage in actions intended to pursue revenge (Sun et al., 2020). The eventual outcome is the killing of innocent teachers and students in American schools.
Mass media has its unique role in the manner in which symbolic interactionism takes shape. Different outlets, including social media and films, support the circulation of information, including movies and comic stars. A unique form of stereotype exists in American society whereby men aspire to remain cruel, have access to firearms, remain masculine, and prove their abilities (Sun et al., 2020). Teenagers might decide to relate to the available symbols and choose to act in accordance with their unique interpretations of the experienced meanings. The loopholes recorded in American society allow young individuals to access guns, thereby relying on them to rebel, engage in violent behaviors, and promote premarital sex (Gregory, 2020). These malpractices have triggered an increasing level of opposition against society’s values and norms.
The sleeted theory offers a detailed description of the existing gaps and accessible information that encourage young individuals to interpret the available symbols in a negative manner. Some people will pursue emerging meanings based on what they witness in movies and video games (Gregory, 2020). Poor control mechanisms, increased peer pressure, notions of masculinity, and feelings of vengeance against society are powerful forces that dictate the manner in which some individuals develop their abstract meanings. From this interpretation, it is agreeable that symbolic interactionism could guide stakeholders to identify the possible triggers of mass shootings and address them from a sociological perspective.
Analysis of the Problem
Most of the learning institutions remain in constant fear of possible shootings that have the potential to disorient the learning process. According to a report by Everytown Research (2022), the U.S. has been recording around 87 school shootings annually since the year 2013. Such incidents have been revealed to claim around 28.4 lives every year (Everytown Research & Policy, 2022). The number of school-going children who remain injured after such occurrences is usually higher (World Population Review, 2022). Since 1970, the country has recorded over 2,000 cases revolving around school shootings (Everytown Research & Policy, 2022). The occurrence of these events means that more children lose their lives while others are compelled to get personalized medical support.
The complexity of this social problem has led to numerous effects that could disorient the social and economic stability of American communities. First, school shootings are linked to poor academic performance since most of the educationists and teachers remain scared. Second, some learners start to quit or fail to attend their classes due to the fear of being attacked (Gregory, 2020). Third, the problem compels the relevant authorities to incur increased costs in an effort to meet the medical health needs of the affected victims. Fourth, mass shootings claim the lives of teachers, thereby making it impossible for the available staff members to meet the educational needs of their learners (Gregory, 2020). These outcomes are directly linked to poor economic and social outcomes in the affected communities.
The absence of proper policy initiatives to deal with these social incidents means that the country might continue to record additional negative experiences in the future. For instance, the government’s failure to find timely solutions indicates that more school-going individuals and teachers will lose their lives in the near future (Booty et al., 2019). The failure to tackle such predicaments could affect the overall quality of education in the country (Gregory, 2020). The possible increase in cases of truancy could have negative implications on the future security of the affected communities. The lack of coordinated efforts indicates that future teachers could opt to find better and safer careers that can support their financial needs.
SolPatient History and Symptomsution
The American state and federal governments need to appreciate the intensity of mass shootings in the country and introduce evidence-based measures to deal with it. Based on the nature of this predicament, the relevant agencies in the U.S. should amend the current laws regarding the availability of firearms, access to violent video games, and security levels in public institutions (Everytown Research & Policy, 2022). State governments can implement subsequent policy guidelines to support different organizations and ensure that positive results are eventually recorded.
The consideration of practical solutions could make it possible for the country to reduce the number of mass shootings. For example, the involved stakeholders can consider new measures to improve the overall security in learning institutions since they have become primary targets for criminals engaging in mass shootings. The move to employ more medical professionals could ensure that more facilities are prepared for similar incidents and ready to offer timely support to more victims (Boxer, 2022). A new law limiting the level of access to firearms can change the situation and make more schools safer than ever before.
In the past, different states have implemented various policies in an effort to streamline the procedures involved in the acquisition of firearms. For example, Hawaii and California have strict gun policies that make it hard for many people to acquire, use, or own firearms. In the country, over 20,000 laws exist that are intended to reduce gun-related violence (Everytown Research & Policy, 2022). However, most of these efforts have failed to deliver sustainable results in the fight against school shootings. The number of incidents recorded in the country has been rising steadily.
Three recommendations are worth considering if the country is to address this problem and make American schools safer. The first one revolves around the introduction of proper mechanisms to ensure that more individuals are not exposed to violent behaviors through social media, television, and films (Boxer, 2022). This approach will reduce the overall level of aggressiveness and allow more people to develop desirable interpretations and meanings in accordance with the symbolic interaction framework (Everytown Research & Policy, 2022). The second proposal entails the use of diverse mechanisms to limit the possibility of accessing guns, including laws and restrictions. The final suggestion capable of minimizing the consequences of school shootings is maximizing the level of security in all learning institutions.
Conclusion
Mass shootings need to be studied and analyzed from the lens of the social problems affecting Americans. The increasing rate of such incidents in learning institutions reveals that numerous challenges exist in different communities. These occurrences claim innocent lives, affect learning processes, and disorient the nation’s economy. The use of better policies, improvement of security in schools, and control of violent content available on different media outlets could work synergistically to tackle this predicament from an informed perspective.
References
Booty, M., O’Dwyer, J., Webster, D., McCourt, A., & Crifasi, C. (2019). Describing a “mass shooting”: The role of databases in understanding burden. Injury Epidemiology, 6(1), 47-54. Web.
Boxer, P. (2022). 5 ways to reduce school shootings. The Conversation. Web.
Everytown Research & Policy. (2022). How to stop shootings and gun violence in schools: A plan to keep students safe. Web.
Gregory, J. R. (2020). Whiteness and school shootings: Theorization toward a more critical school social work. Children & Schools, 42(3), 153-160. Web.
Sun, J., Harris, K., & Vazire, S. (2020). Is well-being associated with the quantity and quality of social interactions? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Personality Processes and Individual Differences, 119(6), 1478-1496. Web.
World Population Review. (2022). School shootings by country 2022. Web.