By Rene Chang, 10th grade.

As stated by, the Washington Post, in the United States, over 300,000 students have been affected by gun violence since the Columbine High School massacre in 1999. Since then, has gender affected these shootings? Is it more likely that male or female students are more likely to start school shootings? And what causes these students to start shooting up schools? 

First, what is classified as a school shooting? According to Britannica, it is “an event in which a student at an educational institution shoots and injures or kills at least one other student or faculty member on the grounds of that institution.” 

The United States has been the scene of most attacks, especially since the late 20th century. CNN  states that there have been at least 49 school shootings in the United States so far this year as of September 13th: the latest being the Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia, Atlanta. Thirteen of these school shootings were on college campuses, and 36 were on K-12 school grounds. 

There is always a reason that causes people to shoot up schools. Alfred University states that most students think that school shootings are caused by students who want an “act of revenge” or to hurt those who hurt them. The National Health Institute mentions that research on bullying suggests that boys are more prone to be both bullies and victims of bullying, especially in its physical expression, since girls are more likely to engage in situations of indirect bullying, such as teasing or gossiping about peers. Furthermore, Statista mentions that, in a case, the majority of active shooters in education settings in the United States were male, with 49 active shooters in elementary and secondary schools and 17 active shooters at postsecondary institutions identifying as male. In comparison, only two active shooters at both elementary and secondary schools and postsecondary institutions in the United States identified as female within the provided period. 

Furthermore, general mass shootings are also mainly caused by men. A staggering 98% of these crimes have been committed by men, according to The Violence Project, a nonpartisan research group that tracks U.S. mass shooting data dating back to 1966. As NPR has reported, researchers say that men, more than women, tend to externalize their problems and look for others to blame, which can translate into anger and violence. And when women do choose violence, guns are not typically their weapon of choice.

In conclusion, the overwhelming majority of school shootings in the United States have been led by male students. While the reasons behind these shootings may be complex, bullying and a desire for revenge often play a significant role. As evidence proves, male students are more likely to shoot up schools due to direct actions like bullying compared to indirect actions by females like gossiping and spreading rumors. 

Sources:

More than 383,000 students have experienced gun violence at school since Columbine. (n.d.). The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/interactive/school-shootings-database/

Greathouse, T., & Belknap, J. (2024, September 25). School shooting | Definition, Examples, Causal Factors, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/school-shooting

O’Kruk, A., Choi, A., & Matthews, A. L. (2024, September 20). School shootings in the US: Fast facts. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/us/school-shootings-fast-facts-dg/index.html

Statista. (2024, September 11). Number of active shooters at U.S. schools and colleges 2000-2022, by gender. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1463155/active-shooters-us-schools-by-gender/

Weeks, L. (2013, September 24). Why are most rampage shooters men? NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/theprotojournalist/2013/09/24/225689775/why-are-most-rampage-shooters-men