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Hampton Bays High School
As September rolls around, many students start to get excited about the new school year in front of them. The first day of school comes with the reunion of friends, new classes and an eagerness to learn.
But for some kids, the first day of school also means the return of an aching fear of getting shot.
The echoes of acts of gun violence in the country have changed the dynamic of how students go about their lives in school, and the level of safety that they feel within their learning environment.
School, for most, is supposed to be a place to learn and develop important life skills and knowledge. However with the current climate of gun violence, many students’ opportunity to learn is being hindered by fear of the thought of acts of gun violence occurring in their school.
“I am always a little anxious about returning to school in general after the summer break, however with the increase in school violence, I feel that my anxiety regarding school is much more prominent … As a person of minority, these acts of violence provoke a feeling of fear in me. It scares me to think that it could be me getting attacked because of my race,” said Lila Swezey, a rising junior at Pearson High School in Sag Harbor, who fears she may be targeted because of her Asian heritage.
“I used to be worried about returning back to school, especially since there was not much security and were not enough practice drills to help us if somebody came into the school with guns,” added Katherine Parash, a rising sophomore and former attendee of Southampton High School.
This past month, two deadly mass shootings took place in El Paso, Texas and in Dayton, Ohio. These two recent occurrences brought the specter of gun violence back into the spotlight and back into the attention of students. Though they were not targeted specifically at schools, the reminder of a possible attack on one’s school conjures high stress levels in students who returned to school this week.
“I am honestly kind of scared to go back to school … my school’s homecoming dance almost got attacked by a shooter last year … thank god it didn’t, though,” said Sofia Skolberg, a rising Sophomore at Southampton High School.
Last year, a homecoming party at Southampton High School was the target of a gun violence threat. Three males posted a photograph to Snapchat of themselves inside of a vehicle posing with a device that appeared to be an assault-style rifle. The threat was reported by school security to the police. The police arrived at the 110 person after party and issued a lockdown of the event. More than 20 police personnel, including New York State Police troopers and Southampton Town Police officers, equipped with AR-15 rifles and two K-9 units, assisted the Southampton Village Police in securing a perimeter around the campus and closing off the entire street, The Press reported at the time.
“The whole event was really frightening, and it gives you perspective into what people are capable of,” Sophia said.
Some students interviewed noted that the catalyst of their fear is mainly due to the levels of security at their school.
“My concern was whether or not we had enough security guards or practice drills to help us if someone came into the school with guns,” Katherine said.
The students have also shared ideas on how their school administrators and student body can implement safety drills and better educate students about what precautions can they can take.
“I believe that my school should include more lockdown drills and have more security. This would make the students feel more safe and possibly [reduce] violence related stress on the students,” Katherine said.
Student Sophia Seda, a rising junior at Brentwood High School, believes the best way to reduce gun violence in schools is by providing psychological help to students who are struggling.
“The school is always trying to involve the security guards, but it never helps … The best way to help is to attack the problem from the source … Many of these shootings derive from students with mental illnesses … It is best to offer and promote mental help to whoever needs it,” she said.
Sophia Skoldberg believes kindness is the foundation that society must lay down to prevent more acts of violence in schools. “I think we should all be nice to each other and spread kindness,” she said. “A lot of school shootings come from bullying, so it is important that we are nice to everybody so violent impulses are not embedded into students as a result of bullying.”
Lila believes that self-advocating and reporting of suspicious activity is the best way to solve the issue of gun violence in schools. “It is important that we know the proper safety procedures, are smart about what we post on social media, report threats or suspicious activity online or in general,” she said. “It’s important to stay educated about the world around us and the people. It’s also important to be aware of what’s going on and how you can help.”
Zoe Gordon, a rising senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, has had first-hand experience with gun violence. On February 14, 2018, the school was attacked by a former student, Nikolas Cruz, who carried an semi-automatic AR-15 rifle into the school, killing 17 people and wounding 14.
Zoe’s views about how schools should ensure the safety of their students aligns with the views of the local students.
“Schools should have officers present before, during and after school to ensure that if violent activity does erupt, it can be halted immediately,” she said. “Additionally, schools should have mental health resources available to all students to ensure that no student feels the urge to take their anger out on others.”
However, having experienced gun violence at her own school, her views on how students can prevent violent attacks differ slightly from those on the East End.
“Unfortunately, in the country we live in, it is not quite easy for students to “prevent possible violent activity,” because mass violence isn’t predetermined, and most do not feel the urge to encourage changes in their school security until after such an act happens to them,” she said. “However, it is vital that students talk to their school’s administration and county officials to compromise on solutions that will make them feel safe in school.”
All of the students interviewed, including Zoe, have strong feelings about how the government should handle gun violence and what laws could be put into place to ensure students’ safety.
“The government should be thinking about major reforms,” said Ian Hubbard, a rising senior at Hampton Bays High School. “Assault weapons shouldn’t be available to civilians. They are simply not necessary for civilian use. Also, the ability to buy a firearm should be restricted by a mental test. If people claim that guns aren’t the issue, it’s the people’s mental health or a violent culture that video games have instilled, lowering the youths’ value of life. We can significantly prevent guns from being used for malevolent intentions by creating a test that mentally and morally sound people can pass.”
“There definitely needs to be background checks on anybody who owns a firearm or who is planning on purchasing a firearm. I believe red flag laws could also be helpful in preventing gun violence,” Sofia Skoldberg said.
“The government definitely needs to employ stricter gun laws into the system so students feel safer,” Katherine added.
“I may be extreme, but I find it necessary that the country bans assault weapons from the hands of the common people,” Zoe said. “Assault weapons, like AR-15s, are military-grade weapons and should not be so attainable for the public. Additionally, it is vital that the country reforms various gun laws, including stricter background checks for obtaining a weapon, and raising the age limit to ensure that a weapon does not easily end up in the hands of a teenager.”
However, the students all said they are firm believers that children and other students, as well as themselves, are capable of change. They noted that living in such an influential time where the voices of the youth are accounted for, it is possible to make large changes in the country for what they believe in and for the general safety of others if everybody chimes in.
“Students will make the most effective change in laws about gun violence by making their voices heard,” Zoe said. “Truly, you never think such a horrific act of terror will happen to you or a loved one until it does, and that is why it is vital to demand a stop to this never-ending cycle of mass shootings. Students have the capability and power to make their voices heard by staying informed on local and national politics and by addressing concerns to those in authority. If you don’t demand action, than no one will.”
