By: Luca Cantagallo, age 14
According to KFF, as of February 2024, firearms are the leading cause of death in the United States for children and adolescents, amounting to more than even car-related deaths. With dangerous assault-style weapons available in most states, shootings have become more dangerous and injure more people.
School shootings in particular are on the minds of the upcoming generation in America, who risk their lives every time they go to school. According to data from the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety, school shootings increased by 31% across the nation in the 2023-2024 school year. David Riedman, the founder of the K-12 School Shooting Database, has tracked 330 school shootings in 2024. Nirmita Panchal writes for KFF, “Exposure to gun violence is linked to post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, in addition to other mental health concerns among youth.”
Gun violence also affects teachers. Pew Research found that 59% of K-12 public school teachers state they’re worried about the possibility of a school shooting. According to USA Today, some educators even have firearms at school.
Organizations like March for Our Lives can emerge from these tragic events. Eloísa Harper, a senior at Boise High School, is the director of the Idaho chapter of March for Our Lives, the largest youth-led movement of its kind in America. “Our goal at the end of the day is to create a safer space in schools,” Eloísa told IndyKids. “We don’t want to be scared to go to school. We don’t want to have to wonder what’s going to happen if a shooter does come.”
Her chapter organizes vigils, rallies, and fights to secure better gun legislation and increase voter access for young people. When asked about challenges pressuring legislators in a majority-Republican state, she said it’s often necessary to cushion her words. “I know that if I went into the Capitol building during a legislative session and said I wanted to ban all assault rifles or that type of thing, nothing would happen. My word wouldn’t get anywhere. There would be no progress moving forward.” But her chapter of March for Our Lives engages heavily with students, creating spaces and support groups where students can talk openly about their fears and anxieties related to gun violence and learn about what’s happening in the wider community.
Although effecting change may be difficult, Eloísa says it is necessary to ensure the safety of school-age children, the 72 million of us who deserve peace of mind in the safety of our schools and homes. “If this issue isn’t addressed, we’re just going to keep putting students’ lives at risk, and that’s heart-wrenching.”
