Mental Health Crisis: School Safety and Mental Health

Time and time, and time again, we experience school shootings. Right from the very first school shooting in the United States in 1891. This was caused by a man with a double barrel shotgun who fired on students and teachers at a school exhibition in Mississippi. To the current day, where school shootings are being committed by outside school property predators, or by the students themselves, as was the case with Columbine High School in 1999, It was these where one teacher and 13 students were murdered by two 12th Grade students. Or in another school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut in 2012. It was there that a 20 year old man with Asperger’s Syndrome, (That issue in an upcoming column), shot and killed 6 school staff members, and 20 children between the ages of 6 and 7.

With the Sandy Hook school shooting, I wanted to help the school with my non-profit organization D.A.D. (Drums and Disabilities), so I volunteered my Drum Therapy training, which helps fight PTSD and trauma issues, along with the numerous effects that come with fighting disabilities. I also donated a drumset, in an effort to help facilitate the therapeutic intervention. As a result, I was working with one of the teachers who hid the children in one of the classrooms during the actual shooting, in an effort to stop them from being killed. The gunman thankfully walked by them. To hear that story firsthand, is one of the most horrifying things anyone can hear. I am getting goosebumps as I write this.

In the case of the Minneapolis school shooting that happened on August 27, a 23 year old man shot and killed 2 children, and wounded 17 other combined children and adults at a catholic school with a variety of guns. I refuse to mention the shooter’s name, as that would help promote his evil agenda, and of those who share and seek his evil ideology.

Unfortunately, there are many people planning these horrible attacks. Not only against our children, but against our society as a whole. No matter what ethnic group or religion.

The shooter’s actions in Mississippi are being called domestic terrorism, and a hate crime against Catholics.

The question remains: How do we stop these all too familiar, horrifically common occurrences?

I was interested in knowing what specific agencies or plans that the Minnesota Government has in place to help secure safety in their schools. So, I decided to interview Mr. Randy Johnson, Director of Minnesota’s School Safety Center. Mr. Johnson gave me some insight on the Minnesota school safety initiatives. Although he and his team are not involved with assisting in police investigations, they are dedicated to helping keep their schools safe.

Mr. Johnson’s team is comprised of eight professionals, who are focused on nurturing a safe and secure learning environment throughout Minnesota. They coordinate with all Minnesota state departments, including the Department of Education, all the Safety Departments, and the Behavioral Health Service Departments. Each member of this cross-trained group contributes distinct skills and expertise, allowing for a well-rounded approach to school safety. They assist with related emergency planning and communication strategies, and provide various resources to ensure support is readily available for all needs. Their existing protocols actually did stop even more children from being harmed in the Minnesota school shooting.

It seems difficult these days to stop psychopathic people, and their blood thirsty desire to murder innocent children and adults. However, there are some things we can do to help protect ourselves and those we love.

1. Develop advanced agencies like the one Mr. Johnson runs. This can go a long way in helping protect the children in our schools.

2. Install more metal detectors. This too can help avoid shootings inside the schools.

3. Provide security by volunteer retired police officers and military members. This can help stop both interior and exterior school threats. These individuals could donate their time. In return for payment, they can get property tax credits, just like wounded veterans receive, or they can obtain free retirement plans, etc.

4. Alerting law enforcement when someone or something doesn’t seem right. Horrible crimes and murders don’t just happen by accident. Often times, people plan these things on purpose, and in advance. This is especially true for mass murders and acts of terrorism. Directed sometimes by mentally ill people, and sometimes by homicidal maniacs. I argue one has to be mentally ill to commit either offense. Either way, these people don’t hide their actions, which are most times obvious for everyone to see. Before many horrific acts occurred, somebody without a doubt saw something. Yet no one said a word. So many people see, yet accept and ignore. Intolerance, and a fear of saying something, facilitates these horrific crimes.

Helping to keep our neighborhoods and streets safe can be easily achieved, just by contacting law enforcement when something doesn’t seem right.

The actions of homicidal, suicidal, misanthropic, and psychopathic people can be clearly visible. They take place all the time, right before our eyes. Again, no one says anything. The behavior of this type of person and their actions didn’t just happen overnight. Their thoughts most likely have been manifesting for years, which leads premeditated, terrifying actions to occur.

Identifying and informing law enforcement when something doesn’t seem right is a great way to help keep our neighborhoods, schools, elderly, disabled, and children safe. Let’s start to make a conscious effort to help ourselves, and to help minimize this ungodly behavior the best we can. SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING!!