“Lockdown. Lockdown. Lockdown.” The familiar robotic voice comes over the loudspeaker. The students file silently into the corner of the room. The lights shut off, and they wait. Some chat quietly with friends, which is immediately met with a “shh” from the teacher. Soon, the drill is over, and they resume their regular class.

     These drills have become all too normal for students. While they are important, it can be scary knowing that a place of knowledge and learning could be the place where they experience terrible violence.

     Gun violence, specifically school shootings, has been a heated topic of discussion in recent years. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there is a rise in the number of shootings at schools. There were 116 incidents in 2020, and that number has since doubled. While there were fewer shootings in 2024 (330) compared to 2023 (349), that doesn’t mean that this is an issue to be ignored.

     In 2025, as of February 26, there have been 29 of these incidents.

     Back in December, there was a shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School in Wisconsin. Two people were killed, along with the shooter, and six others were injured. 

     This problem is not going to go away on its own. With 61% of Americans believing it is too easy to buy a gun, according to the PEW Research Center, it is clear that there is an acknowledged problem with gun laws. Some believe that the answer is more guns.

     “Most Republicans… support allowing teachers and school officials to carry guns in K-12 schools,” writes Katherine Schaeffer of the PEW Research Center. By arming the teachers, they believe there will be fewer shootings.

     However, that will undoubtedly cause more violence. Not only does that create potential lawsuits for the administration, it harbors an unsafe and fear-run school environment (Everytown). As the old adage goes, you can’t fight fire with more fire.

     Thus, the only sure way to lower the amount of school shootings is to enforce stricter gun laws. When we nip the flower in the bud, there is no way for it to blossom. When we stop dangerous or underage people from buying guns, it becomes vastly more difficult for them to intentionally harm others.

     Yet, some still insist that the problem is with the people, not with the weapons that those people obtained legally (or otherwise). There will always be someone who wants to kill someone. And now, more than ever before, it is easier to buy a gun than to get those people help.

     There is hope in this darkness, though.

     In Wisconsin, following the Abundant Life shooting, governor Tony Evers created a new office that will help stop gun violence. He reportedly gave $10 million to the new Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention to help begin the fight to combat gun violence, according to Everytown.

     People want change. Anti-gun violence organizations like Students Demand Action, Sandy Hook Promise, and March for Our Lives are more than enough proof of that. All we need is a government that is willing to listen to our voices and enact that change.

     Children should never need bulletproof backpacks to feel safe in a learning environment. Parents should never have to get a call from their school saying that their child has died because of a school shooter. Teachers should never need to hide their students in the corner of a dark room and pray that the police come before the killer does.

     This dystopian present can end through protest and activism. Speak up. It could save your life.