“We’re only 11 weeks into 2018, and there have already been 17 school shootings where someone was hurt or killed. That averages out to 1.5 shootings a week,” wrote CNN in the article 2018 School Shootings: A List of Incidents that Resulted in Casualties.
Only a couple of the 17 shootings were accidental and all led to injuries or death. Since the uprise of school attacks, stereotypes and unreasonable fear of people with mental disorders has come to light even in our small community of Orem, Utah.
OHS students took a survey asking their opinions about controversial problems surrounding school shootings. Many of their answers made it clear that students think differently about people with mental health disorder/problems.
Katherine Crawford of Orem High said, “[Schools should] keep a very close watch on them.”
Talmage Gaisford, the OHS Math Sterling Scholar, took this a step further when he said, “These students should be given special attention at a different school.”
For most with mental disorders, the idea that they are dangerous or need to be watched is one of the least favorite stigmas against them.
“Technically, I would be counted as a student with those problems. I don’t want to be cast out because I have the same emotional problems as a maniac. I’m not that type of a person,” said another student, Mary Hill. Later in a follow up interview she explained, “Most of the stereotypes are untrue…I’m really just super depressed all the time. And I may be a little crazy but I don’t classify myself as dangerous.”
Of course, there is some merit to the fact that shooters are likely to have mental disorders. How could a person so cruelly take someones life and not have a mental malfunction. The difference is that this is another kind of mental problem. For example: depression makes you sad, not violent, anxiety makes you nervous, not threatening. These issues are separate and need to be treated as such.
Michael Keyes of OHS says that, “[Causes of school shootings are] probably a combination of things that eventually break the camel’s back.”
This means that mental disorders may be a factor but so could bullying, guns, domestic life, or any other number of things. Perhaps it isn’t just one problem or the other like many seem to think, maybe it’s none. Either way, the problem won’t be fixed as long as students who are struggling continue to be treated as dangerous outsiders.
Carly Weiss
Latest posts by Carly Weiss (see all)
- Fighting Against the Mental Health Stigma - April 9, 2018
- The Point of High School - April 9, 2018
- The Act - April 9, 2018
