School is the place where friendships are formed, knowledge is gained, and interests and hobbies are adopted; a place filled with laughter and joy. Well, that place turned into a nightmare for those in attendance at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012. Adam Lanza, 20, walked into the school and opened fire claiming the lives of 20 children and 6 staff members. This massacre caused nationwide pain and mourning, even then president, Barack Obama, shed a tear during a press conference. We heard all over the media that we wouldn’t let this happen again…but just how true was that? 

Back in 2018, on February 14, Nikolas Cruz, a former expelled Stoneman Douglas High school student, walks into the school and opens fire. Nikolas had been expelled for behavioral problems as he posed a threat to student safety. He had managed to escape the school as he blended in with the crowd of terrified teenagers; he set foot towards a Subway and then a McDonald’s, while en route, a police officer stops him and immediately recognizes him and realizes he needs to stop him. 

Just earlier this year on May 24, 2022, Salvador Ramos used an AR-15, which he legally purchased just days after turning 18, to shoot up Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Ramos shot his grandmother in the head before driving to the school with a stolen truck he later crashes. He went on to take the lives of 19 children and 2 teachers. 

Time after time, when a school shooting occurs we hear about how the shooters suffered with their mental health or how they experienced bullying while growing up as a way to “explain” why they did what they did. But if it’s a repetitive motive, why haven’t our politicians done anything to combat these issues? We always see meaningless action from Congress yet nothing to actually solve these issues. Kids these days are starting to see school shootings as “normal” because of how frequent they’re becoming and the same cycle that follows. The average high schooler was around 5-7 years old when Sandy Hook happened, the same age group as the victims and we’ve grown up to see nothing change.