A recent report released on Mar. 11 highlights that youth perspectives are often missing from the national conversation about gun violence in schools, despite a continued rise in shooting incidents. In 2024, there were 330 shooting incidents at K-12 schools across the United States, marking the second-highest number ever recorded, following a record-breaking 349 incidents in 2023 according to the K-12 School Shooting Database.
The report notes that while strategies and policies have been developed to address school safety—including threat assessments, reporting systems, enhanced security measures, expanded mental health supports, efforts to improve school climate, and gun safety laws—these interventions rarely incorporate direct input from students themselves.
According to the report, “youth offer invaluable, firsthand insight into the realities of today’s school environments, as they are the ones most directly affected by both the threats of violence and the solutions.” The authors argue that students’ lived experiences provide unique understanding of what is effective and what may cause unintended harm. They also point out that young people are closely attuned to social dynamics within schools that could signal underlying issues before they escalate.
The report suggests that empowering youth to participate actively in research and policy development related to school safety could lead to more responsive and sustainable approaches. “By empowering youth to take an active role in school safety research, schools and communities can create more responsive, relevant, and sustainable approaches to safety and well-being,” it states.
As concerns about school violence continue nationwide, the inclusion of student voices may become increasingly important for developing effective prevention strategies.
