School Shooting

In Today's Issue

School Shooting
A Place of Learning
Roll Call
Nothing Else to Say

21 weeks into 2018, and there have already been 23 school shootings where someone was hurt or killed. That averages out to more than 1 shooting a week.

A Place of Learning

I sit in my row

My solid desk

In a class within a classless society

I watch the clock it moves as quickly as

treacle

on

a

frosty

Day

Break time soon

A time to talk, a time to smile.

We are all full of

Trust

Hope

Love

Potential

Joy

Lust

I look down at my pen.

That Dad bought me

‘The pen is mightier than the sword’

He said.

but it’s not mightier than a semi-automatic rifle.

I hear the screams first

I am used to them, excitable young girls.

In bows and pearls

They scream in joy and mock horror

These screams raise the hairs on the back of my neck to assembly

The door is kicked open

And a boy I recognise strolls in

He has come to mark our work

There is something in his hands

This isn’t his class, not his year

Our teacher stands

The first bullets hit the blackboard

English literature in chalk, litters the air in poetic fragments

He is smiling

No one screams

No one has time

  

Mr Paisley and his yellow jumper are both turned to red.

He gave me a B plus last week

I see A negative fly out of his pulped body

We are all another statistic

Gun sales and profits

Paid for

As

Our

Blood

Trickles

Down

An economy paid for in dead children

The last thing I ever see is my blood as it writes symbols on my open notebook…

They look like flowers.

The List of Atrocities 

May 25: Noblesville, Indiana

Two people were injured when a gunman opened fire at Noblesville West Middle School in Noblesville, Indiana.

May 18: Santa Fe, Texas

Ten people were killed in a shooting at Santa Fe High School.

May 11: Palmdale, California

A 14-year-old boy went to Highland High, his former school, and began shooting a semiautomatic rifle shortly before classes were scheduled to begin, officials said. A 15-year-old boy was struck in the shoulder.

April 20: Ocala, Florida

A 17-year-old student at Forest High School was shot in the ankle shortly before students were to walk out as part of a national protest against gun violence.. The suspect was a 19-year-old former student.

April 12: Raytown, Missouri

A man was shot in the stomach in the parking lot of Raytown South Middle School during a track meet.

April 9: Gloversville, New York

A student shot another student with a BB gun in Gloversville Middle School.

March 20: Lexington Park, Maryland

An armed student shot two others at Great Mills High School before a school resource officer fired a round at the shooter. The shooter was killed. One of the students, 16-year-old girl Jaelynn Willey, was taken off life support two days later.

March 13: Seaside, California

A teacher accidentally discharged a gun during a public safety class at Seaside High School, injuring a student.

March 8: Mobile, Alabama

One person was hospitalized after a shooting at an apartment building on the campus of the University of South Alabama.

March 7: Birmingham, Alabama

One student was killed and another critically wounded after an accidental shooting during dismissal time at Huffman High School. Police wouldn't elaborate further.

March 7: Jackson, Mississippi

A student was shot inside a dormitory at Jackson State University. His injuries were not life-threatening.

March 2: Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Two people were shot to death at a dormitory on the campus of Central Michigan University. The victims were not students and police think the incident stemmed from a domestic situation.

February 27: Norfolk, Virginia

A student at Norfolk State University was shot from an adjacent dorm room while he was doing homework. He was not seriously injured.

February 27: Itta Bena, Mississippi

A person was shot in a rec center at Mississippi Valley State University. Police said the person was not a student and the injury was not life-threatening.

February 24: Savannah, Georgia

A person was shot on the campus of Savannah State University and taken to a nearby hospital where he later died. Neither the victim nor the shooter were university students, the college said.

February 14: Parkland, Florida

A 19-year-old man gunned down students and staff with a rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, slaughtering at least 17 unsuspecting students and adults. The shooter, Nikolas Cruz, had been expelled from the high school over disciplinary problems, officials said.

February 9: Nashville

A high school student was shot five times in the parking lot of Pearl-Cohn High School.

February 5: Oxon Hill, Maryland

A high school student was shot in the parking lot of Oxon Hill High. The victim was treated and later released. Police arrested two teens and said they are acquaintances of the victim.

February 1: Los Angeles

A 15-year-old boy was shot in the head and a 15-year-old girl shot in the wrist at Sal Castro Middle School in Los Angeles, officials said. Two other students were grazed by bullets. A 12-year-old girl was booked for negligent discharge of a firearm in that shooting, which was considered "unintentional," Los Angeles police said.

January 31: Philadelphia

A fight led to a shooting in the parking lot of Lincoln High School, fatally wounding a 32-year-old man.

January 23: Benton, Kentucky

A 15-year-old student shot 16 people -- killing two other 15-year-olds -- at Marshall County High School, authorities said. The student faces two charges of murder and 12 counts of first degree assault.

January 22: Italy, Texas

A 15-year-old student was wounded in a shooting at a high school in Italy, Texas, authorities said. The suspect, also 15, was quickly apprehended.

January 20: Winston Salem, North Carolina

A Winston-Salem State University football player, Najee Ali Baker, was shot to death at a party on the campus of Wake Forest University.

The number of school shootings that have happened since the year 2000 around the world: ENGLAND: 0 GREECE: 1 NETHERLANDS: 1 SPAIN: 1 INDIA: 1 ARGENTINA: 1 RUSSIA: 1 CHINA: 3 MEXICO: 4 AUSTRALIA: 5 CANADA: 5 GERMANY: 5 SOUTH AFRICA: 5 USA: 214

Hoplophobia is a political neologism coined by retired American military officer Jeff Cooper as a pejorative to describe an "irrational aversion to weapons." It is also used to describe the "fear of firearms" or the "fear of armed citizens." Hoplophobia is a political term and not a recognised medical phobia.