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�SF CONNECTION��LINDA METCALF, M.ED, PH.D.��

A SPECIAL EDITION

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A look at common factors among school shooters

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Three Decades of School Shootings: an Analysis�A comprehensive review of nearly three dozen mass shootings, including Columbine, reveals some notable similarities��By Tawnell D. Hobbs�The Wall Street Journal�Published April 19, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. ET�

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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Mental Illness�

School attackers often “leak” their intentions to their peers, whether in person or via social media. They show symptoms of withdrawal, school failure, lack of involvement.

One of the Columbine attackers wrote online blogs that included statements about his desire to kill those who annoyed him, as well as specific violent threats directed against his classmates and teachers.

Before gunning down 17 students in Florida, the Parkland attacker was reported to the FBI for a YouTube posting in which he bragged about becoming a “professional school shooter.” He also reportedly joked to classmates on numerous occasions that he would be the one to “shoot up a school.”

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Social Isolation��From the US Office for Targeted Violence and terrorism.

The impact of social isolation can cause high rates of depression and anxiety during and after enforced isolation ends.

Lack of connectivity with others may lead to negative self-esteem and fear of others.

Social isolation is defined as being in the same physical space as others, but not being acknowledged, feeling alienated, invisible, not seen as important.

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Economic Insecurity

A major study…concluded that there is a significant correlation between periods of increased economic insecurity and periods of increased gun violence at schools.

The researchers noted that …joblessness is related to low self-esteem and detrimental behavior, that minors are responsive to the unemployment of their parents, and that the attitudes of youths have a significant impact on their future economic outcomes.

They further posited that “gun violence at schools is a response, in part, to the breakdown of the expectation that sustained participation in the educational system will improve economic opportunities and outcomes…. “

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SOLUTION FOCUSED RISK ASSESSMENT��DR. ANNE RAMBO, NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

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Here’s our handout

RED FLAGS	CAUTION SIGNS	GREEN FLAGS
(What to watch for)	(What to try when you are worried)	(What we can put in place to build safety and prevention)
Disengaged parents – Overwhelmed, have given up on parenting **especially dangerous when combined with family gun use	Family Counseling Finding mentors (especially if we cant engage parents)	Reaching out to parents with positives more often than negatives Resources for parents GOAL: Engaged parents, resources if struggling
Social isolation – lack of positive group identity	Involvement in a school club or mentoring program which fosters some positive interest	Group projects/ games – competing against a timer or goal Special roles for multiple children in class – involving the uninvolved GOAL: Positive group identity
Social isolation and lack of positive group identity – feeding into involvement with online hate groups and forums	A mentor who engages with the youth and is of a different background or gender	Internet safety rules shared with parents Off-line activities (art, being outdoors) Help making friends GOAL: Real world connections (off-line)
Depression/suicidality – lack of a positive view of self **especially dangerous when combined with aggressive boasting, threats, escalation when confronted	Family and individual counseling Mentoring as well as limit setting by law enforcement	A solution-focused classroom – lots of focus on positives Enough different classroom leadership roles for everyone Mentoring/positive relationships with adults GOAL: Positive individual identity
Learning differences/difficulties with needs unmet or services withdrawn (often by parents)	Reinstating services – engaging parents / inform and educate on services provided	Talking about learning differences and normalizing that everyone needs help Focus on strengths GOAL: That positive identity again
Cruelty to animals **Always a dangerous sign	Equine or animal-assisted therapy	Classroom pets (when pets aren’t possible) growing plants, cyber pets, talking about pets GOAL: Experience with nurturing

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The green flags on your handout

1. GOAL: Engaged parents who feel competent

Keep parents coming with positives
Provide resources even to the ones you can’t reach

2. GOAL: Positive group identity – help making friends

Games where children compete against the clock or another class – not each other
Involving the uninvolved

3. GOAL: Positive group identify – avoiding hate on Internet

Off line activities – outdoors, art, sports
Mentoring from diverse adults
Internet safety rules – and back to number 1, good parenting!

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Green flags, continued:

4. GOAL: Positive group identity:

Real world connections – art, outdoors, sports
Mentoring from diverse adults

5. GOAL: Acceptance of and help with learning differences

Talking about learning differences and normalizing them
Focus on strengths

6. GOAL: Learning to nurture (not hurt)

Classroom pets – even if they have to be fish or cyber
Talking about pets
Animal assisted therapy in the school if possible

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Safe schools are built on trusting relationships among students, staff, and administrators.

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A new trend is beginning to immerge in the place of zero tolerance…��-engaging students who are challenging and worrisome…

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Newspaper article Dec 10, WSJ

At LV Stockard MS in Dallas, where they used to suspend students who misbehave, they now send such students to a reset center, typically in unused classrooms or outdoor sessions where they get counseling for between 1-3 days.

The school’s reset center coordinator talks to the students about their superheros and students pass a ball around to indicate who could talk. Then he asks what they were doing to avoid the misbehavior that had led to their problems.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

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At Southwest HS, a senior witnessed a big fight in the hallway. He wasn’t hit but watching it all was draining.

In response to the too frequent fighting, the school established patrols at Southwood along with a student mentoring program and added counselors and security officers.

Additionally, a group of fathers formed the Dads on Duty to walk the hallways and courtyards. One of the group’s founders said the fathers act as hall monitors and play the role of “cool uncle” with students. They have a calming influence on anxious kids.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

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Question:�Could we end school shootings with a �solution focused mindset?��And, what might that look like?

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

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Story: A principal gives his faculty a great assignment…�

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��

-Find out their interests
-Ask about their family
-Ask about their hobbies, activities
-Invite them to help out with a project or team, or club
-Consistently greet them each time they come into the classroom or when seen in the hallways, by their name.

**Make sure to let the school counselor know about your concerns as well.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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�TALK TO FACULTY!

Inform! Share the factors that are common among school shooters with the faculty:

-mental illness

-social isolation

-financial insecurity

Then, ask the staff:

“With all of this information, what are your best hopes for the students in our school who are dealing with one or more of these factors?

“What do you think our students, who might be dealing with any of these factors might need from us to evolve into safe and successful students at our school?”

LISTEN TO ALL OF THEIR ANSWERS-

THAT WILL BECOME YOUR SF PROACTIVE PLAN!

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-ND

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When students exhibit scary behaviors or drawings, engage them as soon as possible:

Hello, do you draw often? What other kinds of drawings do you do?
Tell me what this picture means to you.
*Tell me about this gun in the picture.
Is your family interested in guns?
What does having a gun like that mean to you?
What are other things you are interested in?
What would your friends say about you if I asked them?
(Look at their connections…watch them in the hallways and other classes. Notice places where they seem to connect with others in a healthy way or isolate. What teachers do they get along with?

*Any reference to violence in a picture should lead to a counselor referral.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

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TALK TO STUDENTS!

Students:
On a designated day, in advisory class or certain subject classes, teachers lead the discussion about school violence and what the staff needs to know and do to get them to feel safe.
Students also discuss what they might need to begin doing if they hear of someone who has a plan or is upset about a relationship or causes unrest in class.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

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TALK TO PARENTS

Invite parents and their kids to an evening to discuss what they think the school could do to help them feel that their kids are safe and are given a chance to be successful at school?

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Every day, students come into our classrooms, carrying burdens and influences from home, peers, and economic hardships. ��We can be the influence that makes a difference in their lives…through vigilant observations and…connection.n��…

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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MAY THE SOLUTION FORCE ALWAYS BE WITH YOU AS YOU ASSIST STUDENTS TO BE AT THEIR BEST.�