As another school year invariably arrives, a growing population is dreading the possibility that they or someone they know will be faced with the deadly consequences of school shootings. As a preventive measure, many schools across the nation have tightened security and preparation tactics. Still, educational institutions will continue to remain charged atmosphere for some students. For the year 2017, Everytown, (an advocacy group for gun safety), reported 65 school shootings took place across the US. Although the media may portray armed adolescents, teens and young adults as capricious, out of control, or even out of their minds, there are more often tangible causes to the effect. There are six major mastodons that plunder k-12 school and college campuses alike. They are barriers to learning, contributors of corporate corruption, and consequently, school shootings.

Sexual Harassment

*AAUW conducted 3 large studies over the last 20 years to analyze the reach and scope of sexual harassment in schools, including grades k-12. The most recent analysis, an online survey of 1,965 students, (963 boys, and 1002 girls in grades 7-12), was conducted over a period of two months in 2011. It revealed nearly 50% of all kids in grades 7-12 experience some form of sexual harassment, and close to 50% of girls reported encountering sexual harassment more than once. In response to these incidents, 31% of girls reportedly told the harasser to stop at the time of the encounter, (only 13% of boys); 50% of students ignored it, or did nothing, and 12% of girls, (5% boys), reported it to a teacher, guidance counselor or other adult at school.

Although Title IX, the federal legislation prohibiting sexual harassment, was enacted in 1972, educational institutions have remained passive on the issue. To the extent that students do not feel confident that the faculty or staff will advise or assist when kids are confronted with these types of incidents. Only recently has momentum gained to make students aware of the legislation, and their rights regarding violations.

As defined by US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, sexual harassment is, “Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, which can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Thus, sexual harassment prohibited by Title IX can include conduct such as touching of a sexual nature; making sexual comments, jokes, or gestures; writing graffiti or displaying or distributing sexually explicit drawings, pictures, or written materials; calling students sexually charged manes; spreading sexual rumors; rating students on sexual activity or performance; or circulating, showing, or creating e-mails or web sites of a sexual nature”

Beyond this, the media, movies, and fashion industry do much harm in adversely influencing popular culture. Young girls internalize the medias displays and messages that promote wearing revealing clothing and obsessing over weight loss. These responses only exacerbate the problem, and make ingenuous youth prey to sexual harassment.

Hazing Disproportionately Sports Related

Hazing is considered a crime in 41 states. Many states restrict the definition of hazing. They often omit humiliation as an aspect of hazing. Additionally, many laws specifically target fraternity hazing, and do not cover athletic or high-school hazing. Interestingly, state laws also shift on the matter of consent of the individual hazed.

Alfred University conducted a national study in 1999 regarding hazing in athletics. Out of 1000 national collegiate athletic association schools, 224 participated. Student athletes that responded numbered 2,027, (20%-30% of the 10,000 athletes randomly selected from the 224 institutions). For the purposes of the survey, hazing was defined as: “Any activity expected of someone joining a group, that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate”.

For many student athletes, hazing begins in high-school.

A number of athletes revealed they were introduced to questionable initiation rites prior to college. Of those that reported they were hazed in college, 42% reported that they had also been hazed in high-school; 5% reported they were hazed in middle school. About 50% of those surveyed reported drinking contests as part of initiation activities. Drinking contests often open the door to criminal behavior as kids get excessively inebriated, at the hands of older students and adults.

The actual figures of high-school and middle school hazing are likely much higher than data gathered by the survey. Athletes, coaches and athletic directors all agree hazing is highly secretive. Only 10% of coaches and athletic directors reported they had any knowledge of hazing on their campus, and several even went even further to deny the need to discuss hazing or it’s prevention.

Federal Criminal Justice System

According to public records, at least 21 states, and a host of cities and towns have School Disturbance Laws, or Disorderly Conduct Laws applicable to educational institutions. Essentially, they are loosely drafted laws that can render any misbehavior against the law.

For instance, in Florida it is a crime to “Interfere with the lawful administrative functions of any educational institution”, or to, “Advise another student to do so”. In Arkansas, “Annoying conduct” is banned. Maine prohibits “Boisterous behavior”, and “Interrupting a teacher by speaking loudly”.

These laws on the books across the US are enforced on kids as young, and potentially younger than 7 years old. Currently 30 states do not specify a minimum age for delinquency adjudication meaning a 5 year old can technically be handcuffed and hauled off to juvenile detention. North Carolina specifies a minimum of 6 years old, and 11 states currently designate a minimum age of 10. As for the maximum age for juvenile court jurisdiction, North Carolina, and New York set the age limit at 15, and in Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Michigan, if the child is older than 16, the charge will be adjudicated in a criminal court

Not only are kids initiated into the criminal justice system, they are traumatized, introduced to gang activity, and targeted for criminal records. Furthermore, their educational opportunities are indelibly impacted for what are often cases thrown out due to frivolousness by the courts.

In 2016, disorderly conduct laws accounted for almost 10%, (65,710) of all juvenile arrests.

A 2017 analysis of 2650 schools published in the Washington University Law Review, revealed that students at schools with a police presence are systematically more likely to be reported to law enforcement for low level offences, even though much of law enforcement have limited training or understanding of issues of child development and child psychology.

The last time the Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics collected data from police departments on how many officers they have stationed as SRO’s, School Resource Officers in schools, was in 2007. At that time, they were reported to number 13,000, nationwide. However, the National Center for Education Statistics, NCES reported that in the 2009-10 school year, 28.7% of public schools had a full time SRO or security guard. Furthermore, there is a distinction between SRO’s, sworn police officers and security guards. While security guards can lawfully physically restrain students, they do not have authority to arrest a student. An SRO not only can arrest a child, they are generally more aggressive.

Pharmaceutical Drugs

IQVA, formerly IMS Health, is the largest vendor of US physician prescribing data. Their Total Patient Tracker Database reveals in the year 2017 the number of kids, (age 0-17), prescribed psychiatric drugs was approximately 8,397,101, about 11% of the US population under 18.

The Center for Disease Control, CDC, reported that in 2016, 6.1 million kids age 2-17 were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder, ADHD. Of those diagnosed, 62% were prescribed ADHD drugs.

These psychiatric drugs generally fall in 4 categories, ADHD, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, and anti-anxiety. They are mind altering chemicals. Repeated use is dangerous and addictive, even more for developing children and adolescents. The chemical solutions have a severe range of side effects that include numbness of the body and mind. In addition ,prescribing these drugs sends mixed messages regarding the use of drugs to solve problems in general.

Parents and guardians are often seduced by licensed physicians who are often courted by pharmaceutical companies that provide monetary incentives to push these mind-altering drugs onto an unassuming public that is often referred to a specialist by the school. Moreover, according to the non-partisan organization, The Center for Responsive Politics, between 1998 and 2004, pharmaceutical companies lobbied on at least 1600 pieces of legislation. They spent $900, 000,000 on lobbying between 1998-2005, (more than any other industry), and donated $89.9 million to candidates and political parties.

Gun Laws

According to federal law, the minimum age to purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer is 21. Although, if purchased from an unlicensed, private seller, online or at a gun show, the minimum age requirement drops to 18. The minimum age of possession for a handgun is also 18.

Long guns, (rifles, AR-15’s and shotguns), are found on the site of many school shootings. There is little federal oversight when it comes to these types of weapons.

The minimum age to purchase long guns from a licensed dealer is 18. However, if purchased from a private seller there is no federal minimum age. Nor is there a minimum age to possess long guns, or ammunition for them. State laws vary.

Food and Nutrition in Schools

A consistently poor diet, for a growing child, can have long term and developmental consequences. Just as vitamin B deficiency can lead to Rickets, or cause depression; vitamin C deficiency can cause a condition called Scurvy; a deficiency in vitamin D can lead to irritability and irregular heartbeat. Vitamins and minerals are compounds absorbed through the diet of which deficiency leads to an imbalance. To supplement a diet with excessive sugars and fatty processed foods is detrimental, and can cause the body to not absorb vitamins properly.

Not all foods sold at schools is regulated. In ***2006, the Federal Trade Commission reviewed the expenditures of 44 food and beverage companies. Combined, they spent 1.6 billion dollars annually target marketing to children and adolescents in the US. Of that total, soda, restaurant food and breakfast cereals accounted for 63%, (roughly 1.02 billion dollars). Much of the junk food sold at schools is sold under the “Competitive Foods” market. These items are sold through a-la-carte lines, vending machines, school stores and fundraisers. In contrast to federally reimbursed school meals programs, they are not subject to federal nutritional standards.

One of the issues that is so unsettling about this arrangement is the increased use of High Fructose Corn Syrup, (HFCS) over the last 30 years, and its steady parallel rise with childhood obesity. HFCS are an ingredient in virtually every soda, many beverages, and the majority of snacks sold in vending machines. Fast food companies that do not use HFCS or modified food starch, (a derivative) are almost non-existent. This powerful chemical substance is linked with cancer of the pancreas kidneys and liver, diabetic conditions, and glucose intolerance. In addition to this, excessive sugars, sodium and consumption of fatty foods can impair memory, attention and concentration.

From the vendors standpoint, the junk food sold in schools are simply lucrative contracts. However lucrative they are, they limit kids options, direct and sway their overall food choices, and inexorably interfere with the quality of their education.

Changing a Culture of Mass School Shootings and Endemic Corporate Greed Contributors

Public officials and politicians bring up issues in response to school shootings. They mull over existing gun laws, the need for mental health advocacy, and the need for more security, including the prospect of arming teachers. However, eventually the discussion will have to confront the real causes for teen violence, the infiltration of schools by large corporations, and society’s overwhelmingly complicit role. The number of casualties that will precede that conversation will only grow in severity as kids utilize more accessible and powerful tools and carry the burden of responsibility for issues left unaddressed.



References

*Hill, Catherine, Ph.D; Kearl, Holly, M.A. “Crossing the Line Sexual Harassment in School”. AAUW. 11/2011. [www.aauw.org].

“Juvenile Arrests”. [http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/qa05101.asp]

Hoover, Nadine C. “National Survey: Initiation Rites and Athletics for NCAA Sports Teams”. Alfred University. 8/30/1999

“School Disturbance Laws”. [http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_disturbance_laws].

“Number of Children and Adolescents Taking Psychiatric Drugs in the US”[http://cchrint.org/psychiatric-drugs/children-on-psychiatric-drugs/]

“Pharmaceutical Lobby”. Wikipedia. [http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_lobby]. (8/26/2018).

Wheeler, Lydia. “What are the Legal Ages for Buying Guns?” The Hill. (02/22/2018). [http://thehill.com/homenews/politics-101-375154-what-are-the-current-age-restrictions-on-guns].

***“Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents a Review of Industry Expenditures, Activities, and Self-Regulation”. Federal Trade Commission. (07/2008)

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