“Students,” the teacher begins, “please welcome our newest addition to class.” The young man sheepishly scans his new classmates, thinking, “How will they respond to me? What will their parents say when they find out?” The teacher continues, “Class, our new student’s name is Active Shooter.”
Apparently, this mockery has become acceptable to millions of Americans. According to the Sandy Hook Promise, more than 338,000 students in the U.S. have experienced gun violence since the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999.
In addition, guns are the leading cause of death among American children and teens. In 2022, 34 students and adults died from gunfire while attending school.
On September 4, 2024, 14-year-old Colt Gray walked into Apalachee High School near Winder, Georgia, wielding a black AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle. After Gray released the trigger, two classmates and two teachers lay dead. Nine others were injured.
The four victims were teacher Cristina Irimie, coach Richard Aspinwall, student Mason Schermerhorn, and student Christian Angulo. Each had unique stories filled with joyful life and endless possibilities. When asked about her son’s whereabouts just after the shooting. Mrs. Schermerhorn simply replied, “Mason’s gone.”
No parent should have to utter those words after sending their children off to school, and no spouse should have to remember a final kiss goodbye because their teacher will never come home after the final bell.
If Jesus were looking over American schools as he did over Jerusalem long ago, he might say something like this to us: “America, America, the country that shoots your students and kills your teachers! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37)
America…
When will we start loving children more than guns?
When will we take the words of Jesus seriously, remembering that those who live by the gun will die by the gun?
When will Christians let the Bible, instead of an amendment meant for war, inform, and guide their faith?
When will we finally say “no more” to the powerful profiting from the death of our children?
When will people of faith rise up, speak out, and step forward?
Everytown for Gun Safety recommends the following actions to help prevent more school shootings:
- Enact and Enforce Secure Firearm Storage Laws
- Pass Extreme Risk Laws
- Raise the Age to Purchase Semi-Automatic Firearms
- Require Background Checks on All Gun Sales
- Foster a Safe and Trusting School Climate
- Build a Culture of Secure Gun Storage
- Create Evidence-Based Crisis Assessment/Prevention Programs in Schools
- Implement Expert-Endorsed School Security Upgrades: Entry Control and Locks
- Initiate Trauma-Informed Emergency Planning
- Avoid Practices That Can Cause Harm and Traumatize Students
And if I may add one more: Outlaw the ownership of AR-15-style weapons. They have one purpose and one purpose only: to kill another human being quickly. They do not belong in the hands of everyday citizens.
And for you Constitution lovers crying about your rights being infringed upon, the Second Amendment literally says “well regulated.” It’s time to regulate AR-15-style guns well.
People of good faith do not have to welcome Active Shooter into our schools any longer.
We can say, “No!” We can vote to protect our children. We can expel Active Shooter.
All we need is for good and decent people to engage and vote.
We have failed our children for far too long. We have allowed Active Shooter to kill far too many of our precious students and remarkable teachers.
We owe the generation growing up under our watch. They have paid the price for our obstinance and inactivity.
We, the people, need to act now!
The school bell rings; who will answer it?
CEO of Good Faith Media.