Parkland Shooting

Mental health is just as important as physical health. However, because poor physical health is easier to recognize, the educational stress on the subject is much more prominent.

On Wednesday, February 14, 17 high school students were shot in Parkland, Florida by former student Nikolas Cruz. Prior to the shooting, Cruz displayed many disturbing characteristics, and his social media only digitized the extreme violence he portrayed. Last year, a comment was posted under Cruz’s name stating that he aspired to become a “professional school shooter.” Many concerns about the suspect’s sanity and mental health were engendered throughout the years. Among other things, Cruz was said to have depression, yet no action was taken to improve his mental condition.

When asked about their thoughts on this mass shooting, many Orem High students said they wished mental health was more heavily emphasized in school. Keimi Okamura, a senior at Orem, said, “I think that schools should treat mental health as well as they do physical health. For example, PE is a required class.” Other students are in agreeance with this idea, and believe therapy and meeting with counselors should be encouraged.

Many students believe that it is the approach on mental health that is providing more problems than solutions. Anahi Aguilar states it perfectly: “I think rather than focusing on “fixing” these students, we need to help them cope with their problems and help them find their own peace.” Mental illness is caused by a combination of things, and according to an article on MedicineNet.com, none of them are “personal weakness or character defect.” Instead of making these students feel like they’re broken, at fault, alone, they need to be accepted and loved.