A Relentless Threat: Scholars Respond to Teens on Weaponized School Violence

(Paperback)

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Tackling the difficult and charged topic of weaponized school violence, A Relentless Threat: Scholars Respond to Teens on Weaponized School Violence examines some of the root causes that lead teen shooters to make the decision to kill their teachers and peers. This research and commentary on gun violence in U.S. schools positions the reader to understand its historical and political context and to reflect on its social and emotional causes. The book explores potential solutions to this uniquely American phenomenon through a variety of scholarly lenses. With a focus on research and pragmatic solutions, these academics respond directly to individual teen voices in an effort to recognize those stakeholders most often dismissed. This book includes discussion on U.S. firearms policy, ostracism, bullying, social media, capitalizing on shooter events, and programs in schools to prevent violence. A Relentless Threat: Scholars Respond to Teens on Weaponized School Violence establishes the groundwork for the second book by the editors (Dress Rehearsals for Gun Violence: Confronting Trauma and Anxiety in Americas Schools) by examining how we got to this point and what actions may be taken to stop future rampage shootings in schools.

Reviews

The contributors to this volume manage to provide a fresh, multi-disciplinary look at the timely subject of gun violence in Americas schools. The authors build a unique ground-up analysis by organizing the chapters around the views of students and teachers to produce a book that is uniquely thoughtful and thought-provoking. -- Robert J. Spitzer, Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science, SUNY Cortland; author, "The Politics of Gun Control" and "Guns Across America: Reconciling Gun Rules and Rights"
This is a highly readable and thoughtful analysis of gun violence in schools with six chapters by different authors tackling key aspects of the problem from the availability of guns to social media aggression. The book also challenges questionable solutions marketed by the school security industry and advocates for prevention through school climate programs. -- Dewey Cornell PhD, forensic clinical psychologist and professor of education, University of Virginia; director of the UVA Virginia Youth Violence Project
Gun violence is not inevitable. It is preventable. Students who are taught and encouraged to look out for one another, notice when someone is hurting, and how to get help are embodying the culture change we need to end gun violence. This book underscores the importance of a holistic approach to keeping schools safe: one that includes policy, research, and community-based programs all working together. By putting this body of research into action, we can prevent school shootings and protect our kids. -- Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director, Sandy Hook Promise; mother of Dylan Hockley, student killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy
Amidst the oppressive and ongoing threats to our health, equity, and social justice, remains the insidious risk of school violence. This comprehensive work reminds us of the complex etiology of weaponized violence through the interpersonal examination of society inside and outside the school building. From the gun control debate to social media, readers explore the catastrophic effects of unresolved differences and the need to replace reactivity with proactivity. -- Jared Scherz, clinical psychologist; author of Catastrophic School Violence: A New Approach to Prevention
Compiled by VanSlyke-Briggs and Bloom, A Relentless Threat uncovers the root causes of school shootings and examines the responses to violent incidents, assessing how such events impact the foundation of the US education system. Contributing authors highlight the interrelated components across public and private sectors that lead to gun violence and share their perspectives on school shootings. The heart of this volume is the survivors' personal accounts, which display patterns of associated factors that emerge in school-based violence across contexts. Importantly, this volume recognizes the influence of social media on how the public perceives each school shooting or instance of gun violence and considers what can be done to prevent future occurrences. This intentionally curated volume reflects the significance of an issue that unfortunately has become commonplace in US schools. It serves as a notable contribution to the effort to change the education landscape for the future. Recommended. All levels. * Choice Reviews *

Author Bio

Kjersti VanSlyke-Briggs is a professor of secondary education and educational technologies at the State University of New York, Oneonta.
Elizabeth A. Bloom is a professor of education and chair of the Education Program at Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY.
They are the editors of Resisting Reform: Reclaiming Public Education through Grassroots Activism.