Violence in Schools – Opinion Editorial

Running header: VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS – OPINION EDITORIAL 1
Violence in schools – Opinion Editorial
Students Name
Institutional Affiliation

VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS – OPINION EDITORIAL 2
Violence in schools is a daily reality that is denying more young people and children the
fundamental right to education. According to an estimate given by plan international, about two
hundred and forty-six million adolescents and children experience violence in and around
schools every year (UNESCO, 2019). In a typical setting, every child deserves the right to live
free from psychological and physical violence; however, violence cultivates insecurity and fear
that infringes a pupil’s rights to learn in a conducive and safe environment. Violence in schools
is also regarded as a public health problem and may be expressed through acts of intimidation,
bullying, shooting, brawls and repression.
School violence is caused by various factors. To begin with, media and entertainment
play a primary role in desensitizing children to violence. For instance, violent video games or
movies with suggestive or violent scenes may influence children to some extent (Meleen, 2019).
Mental health concerns and psychological disorders have also been on the rise for some decades
hence contributing to violent behavior. Other factors may include drugs, dysfunctional homes,
access to weapons and personality problems. However, school violence is not only attributed to
the above factors since each scenario features a distinct set of circumstances.
According to science daily, one out of every seven school-age going children is a victim
of violence in schools. Besides, one of the most demoralizing effects of violence is the frequency
of occurrence, which leads to the loss of innocent lives and fear. For instance, after an incidence
of violence, students end up developing fear of going to school. These fears end up to more
severe conditions such as the inability to form secure attachments, Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder, and depression (Cornell, 2017). These conditions may affect the students even more
hence resulting in severe mental health concerns. For instance, looking back at the Australian