LaFranchise 1

Sofie LaFranchise

Mr. Smith

Honors Junior Literature

19 October 2023

School Violence, Student’s Mental Health, and Confronting Inequalities

“These campuses need to be places to grow but how can one do so when they’re

continually masked in a shadow of fear,” claims Brandon Leake, in his poem, “The Secret Life

of Teachers.” As a spoken word poet and former teacher from California, he addresses his

growing concerns over the effect of school shootings on students (Leake). But school violence is

an extensive term that refers not only to school shootings, but physical and verbal abuse.

Examples of verbal abuse include spoken threats and discriminatory language that occur

in-person or over the internet, and harassment can be instigated by teachers and other students

alike. All forms of school violence make it difficult for students to be involved in activities both

inside and outside of school (Green). School violence challenges the treatment of success in

America; a school culture that lacks acceptance denies students the encouragement to succeed,

while Americans redefine success by using their resources and freedoms to prevent school

violence.

When students face mental health issues as a result of bullying and school shootings, they

lose a sense of purpose to pursue success. For instance, in Aija Mayrock’s poem, “What Bullies

Make Us Feel,” she establishes the fictional character of Marie to convey the taunting she

experiences as a child, describing how she would “[…] be standing alone as Marie controlled the

ground between my feet and my classmates’ as if to not contaminate them with some infectious

disease that I did not have” (Mayrock). The connotation of control emphasizes the bully’s power
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through threat of physical harm. Furthermore, Mayrock expresses her shame by expressing how

the bully made her feel guilty of spreading a figurative illness. In Mayrock’s experience, the

bully kept her isolated from her peers, robbing her of the motivation to succeed. Hence, the

shame and loneliness felt by victims of bullying can lead to serious mental health consequences.

According to the disability non-profit, Ruderman Family Foundation, cyberbullying leaves

disabled students in Boston “[…] at greater risk of experiencing extreme emotional reactions to

the attacks because many of them may be grappling with loneliness, depression, or a lack of

cognitive ability to cope with taunting, disability advocates say” (Vaznis). The connotation of

attack emphasizes that cyberbullying and verbal abuse can leave targets as helpless as the

physical violence described by Mayrock. The author describes the students as “grappling” with

mental illness to highlight that abuse from others reinforce the battle they fight with their own

mind, worsening symptoms of helplessness and despair. Therefore, students targeted by bullies

will struggle to be emotionally present in school. Also, traumatic experiences such as school

shootings interrupt learning. Between 2018 and 2019, 100,000 students witnessed a school

shooting, and Maya Rossin-Slater of Stanford University explains that they will “[…] suffer

more acutely than when they are exposed to violence in other settings because of their

connection to student and teacher victims and the loss of trust in their schools’ ability to keep

them safe” (Rossin-Slater). School shootings invoke more grief for survivors because they know

the lost teachers and peers on a personal level. Moreover, students will feel disillusioned by the

security they once felt in school, placing less priority on their learning and more energy into a

fear that the school faculty will fail them. Both Rossin-Slater and Mayrock address the

significance of relationships between students, suggesting that a loss of peer support impedes

success. Accomplishments seem out of reach for students when they endure forms of school
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violence.

The inequities present in American schools put into context the emotional consequences

of school violence. In response to transgender books being ban in Oregon schools, which has

resulted in double the amount of bullying for LGBTQ+ students, Julie Heffernan from the

University of Oregon describes how, “‘Unfortunately, this kind of silencing of a minority group

is not unusual in our country right now, which may be associated with a rise in bias-based

bullying and unsafe conditions for our LGBT youth,’ said Heffernan” (Halnon). Heffernan labels

the schools’ actions to censor transgender books as silencing to communicate a lack of

representation for LGBTQ+ students in their school community. Therefore, these identity biases

incite verbal and physical violence that damage self-esteem, as Mayrock describes. Another

source of harassment results from how a school community responds to world events. Based on a

study by the Society of Research in Child Development, as a result of China being blamed for

the COVID-19 pandemic, “Asian American students are vulnerable to increased psychological

distress, lower academic achievement, and lower engagement when exposed to racial

discrimination” (Wakabayashi and et al.). The discrimination of Asian American students

demonstrates the unequal treatment they receive in school, which makes them feel less

appreciated and welcomed. Consequently, the “psychological distress” refers to emotional pain,

mirroring the mental health struggles reported by disabled students in Boston. Furthermore,

racism deprives students of the motivation to achieve academic success and engage with their

classmates. In comparison, removing the separation of students based on identity changes the

school atmosphere. Emilee Green of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority portrays

the factors that yield quality education: “A positive school climate embraces respect between

students, teachers, and administration; offers ample opportunities for student engagement;
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emphasizes strong values of equality and inclusion; and communicates shared norms and goals”

(Green). However, the case studies of LGBTQ+ students and Asian Americans reveal

discrepancies that demonstrate a negative school environment. These minorities will not feel

comfortable engaging with their classmates, which contrasts with Green’s description of such

opportunities as widely accessible to students. Although green describes an inclusive climate, the

bias-driven and discriminatory actions witnessed by the LGBTQ+ community and Asian

Americans diverge from the idea of unification. Schools in America cheat students of success

when they craft education to be unequal, enabling school violence.

Americans can mitigate the divides in schools, and the emotional consequences of school

violence, by using freedom of speech and community resources. Following the deaths of 14

students at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in 2018, local artist

Joseph Guay created “Missed Attendants.” In one photo, he stands in front with two rows of

empty desks, each painted black, with chalk-written anti-gun violence statements added by

protesters during the March for Our Lives protest. Guay holds a sign that honors the “students

that will never get to sit in a classroom again” (Keenan). Guay’s artwork illustrates a lack of gun

control as a cause of school shootings. However, Americans have the opportunity to speak out

against the injustice, as demonstrated by the statement written by New Jersey residents. In

addition, the stoic appearance of these colorless, empty desks communicates a void in new ideas

that these students could have brought to society. Artwork can also serve to provide hope in the

face of school violence. In 2019, the Hidden Valley Elementary School in Savage, Minnesota

created a display to represent their inclusive school community. Using 550 feathers colored by

students, the school assembled a large dove on a black backdrop, with the words “No Place for

Hate” written in white on the wings (PACER). Both Guay's creation and the school use white
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writing over black to bring optimism to the hardship of aggression in schools. The communal

and diverse contributions in the “No Place for Hate” artwork demonstrates the positive school

environment Green describes. In addition to advocating against bullying and gun violence,

schools that offer support to targeted students have minimized hostility. After the West Side High

School in Newark, New Jersey, invested in five washer and dryers using a $20,000 dollar grant,

students who could not afford clean clothes experienced decreased bullying: “Teachers surveyed

in the pilot program said 95 percent of participants interacted with peers and enjoyed school

more than before” (Ferguson). The description of these students finding enjoyment in school

reveals the importance of a student’s attitude towards their learning, hence hatred interferes with

academic success. The positive connotation of peer emphasizes that accommodating students

reduced the divide between former targets and their classmates. The financial support that goes

towards education in America enables schools to devote resources towards resolving bullying

and exercising peace. Americans consider success to be making a difference in the lives of

students, through freedom of speech and allocating resources towards the cause.

When Americans treat success as applying their freedoms and resources towards

resolving the inequities in schools and attaining a positive environment, students can achieve

success without the threat of school violence. Bullying and the threat of school shootings can

cause fear, shame, and worsen mental health struggles in students, changing how they interact

with their classmates and engage in their learning. Schools' failure to successfully promote

inclusion among students results in these obstacles. Through collaborative pieces of artwork in

communities and schools, Americans can communicate the impact of student voices on society

to facilitate change. Furthermore, extra school resources can make a difference in the comfort

students feel in the classroom, to overcome the obstacle of school violence. Therefore,
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Americans willingness to respond to verbal, physical and weapon violence in schools determines

America’s success in creating a national culture of ambition, security, and inclusion with the next

generation.

Really solid job, Sofie. I think in the end, you were grappling with many different ideas,

and it all came together in a very logical and persuasive manner. I also appreciate that you

did not only explore the negative aspects, but also took a look at the some of the ways that

changing culture can change attitudes.

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Works Cited

Ferguson, Amber. "New Jersey students were bullied online for wearing dirty clothes. The school

just installed washers and dryers." Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2018. Gale OneFile: News,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A550826836/STND?u=mlin_n_newhigh&sid=bookmark-STND

&xid=a90152ac. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

Leake, Brandon. “Poet Brandon Leake Performs Compelling Piece on ‘The Secret Life of

Teachers’.” TheEllenShow, 2022,

https://youtu.be/TC_5YLCk8Ck?si=T9TC-c2f86cLNf0U. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Green, Emilee. “Exploring School Violence and Safety Concerns.” Illinois Criminal Justice

Information Authority, 23 Nov. 2020,

https://icjia.illinois.gov/researchhub/articles/exploring-school-violence-and-safety-concer

ns. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Halnon, Emily. “Report says school violence against LGBT students on the rise.” AroundtheO,

University of Oregon, 29 May 2018,

https://around.uoregon.edu/content/report-says-school-violence-against-lgbt-students-rise

. Accessed 2 Oct 2023.

Keenan, Sean. “With 14 empty school desks, Atlanta artist Joseph Guay gave march for Our

Lives protesters another way to speak out.” Atlanta Magazine, Hour Media, 26 Mar.

2018,

https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/14-empty-school-desks-atlanta-ar
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tist-joseph-guay-gave-march-lives-protesters-another-way-speak/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

Mayrock, Aija. “What Bullies Make Us Feel, a ‘Roem’ by Aija Mayrock.” Youtube, uploaded by

New York University, 24 Nov. 2015,

https://youtu.be/EeWTgfbRymE?si=WCY0Yns2BMT29cCa. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. “Paper feathers show ‘No Place for Hate’.”

PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, PACER Center, Inc., 6 June 2019,

https://www.pacer.org/bullying/stories/mystory.asp?id=2197. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

Rossin-Slater, Maya. “Surviving a school shooting: Impacts on the mental health, education, and

earnings of American youth.” Stanford: Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR),

Stanford University, June 2022,

https://siepr.stanford.edu/publications/health/surviving-school-shooting-impacts-mental-h

ealth-education-and-earnings-american. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Vaznis, James. "Nearly a third of disabled students bullied online: Harassment via social media

has severe impacts on high-schoolers, health survey analysis shows." Boston Globe, 22

Jul 2019. ProQuest,

https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/nearly-third-disabled-students-bullied-online/docv

iew/2260884029/se-2. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

Wakabayashi, Tomoko and et al. “Addressing Inequities in Education: Considerations for Asian

American Children and Youth in the Era of COVID-19.” Society for Research in Child

Development, 9 Sep. 2020,

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https://www.srcd.org/research/addressing-inequities-education-considerations-asian-amer

ican-children-and-youth-era-covid. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

Rubric

Skill Not Foundational Proficient Advanced

Yet
Identifies a topic Appears in first Thesis establishes a
paragraph complex claim

Thesis establishes a
topic and a claim

Thesis Comments:

Includes three or Includes multiple Includes specific,

fewer sources pieces of evidence meaningful, and
(from 8-10 sources) well-chosen evidence
Some evidence that clearly relate to that relates to the
relates to the thesis the thesis thesis

Includes multiple Includes a wide variety

Evidence pieces of evidence in of evidence
each body paragraph (primary/secondary
sources, political
Includes multiple types cartoons, opinion
of evidence pieces, studies, poetry,
fiction/narrative, etc.)

Comments:
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Summarizes Explains how evidence Explains well-selected

sources supports topic points of comparison
sentence of individual among sources and
paragraphs evidence and their
connection to the
Explains how evidence thesis
Analysis supports the thesis of
the essay Demonstrates use of
advanced vocabulary
and varies sentence
patterns; evidence of
distinct voice and style
in the writing

Comments:

Little connection Explains how the Clearly explains

between texts; texts/sources are relationships among
difficult for the related, though points texts (how they
reader to see how could be more selective confirm or challenge
the texts are related or better developed each other, build on
each other, provide
Synthesis Includes multiple differing perspectives,
sources in each body etc.)
paragraph
Utilizes a variety of
Utilizes transition transition words and
words and phrases phrases

Comments:

Some elements Heading is correctly No errors in MLA format

missing or some formatted
errors in MLA format
Pages are numbered

Most in-text citations

are correctly formatted

Works Cited: each

source entry is in correct
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MLA MLA format

Format Comments:

Shows evidence of Most quotes are All quotes are correctly

basic proofreading correctly integrated integrated

Follows essay Shows evidence of

Conventions
organization careful proofreading

Shows evidence of
proofreading

Comments:

Essay Checklist

Content:
Thesis is the last sentence of my first paragraph
Each body paragraph has a topic sentence that is argumentative and relates to the
contents of the paragraph
I have included the required amount of evidence
My analysis explains how the evidence proves my claims
My body paragraphs relate back to my topic sentence and my thesis
I have attempted to synthesize my sources (agreement, disagreements, etc).
By restated thesis is the first sentence of my conclusion paragraph
I have properly cited my sources (in-text, works cited)

Writing
I have eliminated “dead words” from my writing (see list below)
I have looked at my transition words and phrases to ensure that they are effective
My quote integrations grammatically flow with my evidence (avoiding hanging
quotes)
I have included words/phrases from my thesis in the body of my essay (or synonyms)
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I have utilized a grammar checker to catch errors

I have read my writing aloud to check for clarity

List of dead words:

● “I”
● YOU
● WE
● LIKE
● THING
● STUFF
● KIND OF
● SORT OF
● GOOD
● BAD
● HAPPY
● SAD
● MAD
● THIS QUOTE SHOWS (INSTEAD: EXPRESSES, ILLUMINATES, DEMONSTRATES,
DETAILS, EXPLAINS)
● “MANY WAYS”
● “SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS”
● “TO BE” VERBS: IS, ARE, WERE