The issue that I am going to address is increased security in K-12 schools in America. Since Sandy Hook, school shootings have increased and up until the Covid-19 pandemic, were at an all time high during the 2019 school year. Although many districts have implemented new measures like SRO’s (Security Resource Officers), schools would further benefit from new security implementations such as metal detectors. It’s proven that schools with metal detectors have decreased crime within and around the school so if this policy were to be enforced at all schools around the US, we could see a decrease and maybe even the disappearance of school shootings.
The “cause” of the issue I am addressing is inadvertent when looking at the four causes. This is because the problem was brought about by the US educational system’s lack of caution since the problem first came about decades ago. If right after Sandy Hook schools immediately started putting in metal detectors around the entrances and exits, Parkland, STEM, etc. could all have been avoided. Obviously there are other issues within this subject such as mental health, but by implementing metal detectors now, schools are preventing firearms and other weapons from being brought into the classroom by not only students, but also outside threats.
The policy instrument named in the “Making Policy” entry that would best fit the crafting of this policy for my issue brief would be system changes. To successfully keep school shootings down and keep kids safe in their learning environments, you would have to alter how the US educational institution provides security. Although this policy instrument can be seen as the most dramatic of the four, this is exactly what needs to be done to prevent any more innocent people from losing their lives to something that could have been avoided.
I think this is a great topic to discuss because it is something that sadly has been happening a lot in the last few years and you seem to have a good direction on where you want to go with it.
I completely agree, thank you!
It sounds like you would stay hyper-focused on how metal detectors would be an effective instrument for enhancing school safety. It makes good sense for an issue brief!
Great, thank you! That is the goal if I can direct it efficiently in that direction.
My school one time had a shooting threat so we immediately implemented metal detectors. We had airport like security at each entrance. It was not that practical because there were very long lines to get in but in two days the girl who sent the threat came forward so I guess the metal detectors were effective. I like this topic because school shootings are definitely something that needs to stop. It is one of those issues where almost everyone agrees there is an issue but people disagree on how to solve it.
That is a very interesting take I will definitely have to incorporate into my writing, thanks!
The school that I went to did have threats a couple times and I think it it a necessary topic to discuss. You seem to kn ow where your going with the paper and I think your project will be very sucessful.
Its sad that so many people had to deal with these threats but hopefully I can carry across the severity of them, thanks!