The search for lessons to be learned regarding school shootings has begun, and properly so. One media outlet published opinions of several parents in the Atlanta area on school violence, specifically, and gun violence generally. Not unexpectedly, opinions differed and covered the entire panoply of perspectives of school shootings, on firearms possession and what is generically referred to as “gun control.” Other parents called for “change” but did not define their suggested changes.
Some parents focused on the responsibility of the parents. Some addressed the responsibility of and the failure to act by the law enforcement officials.
As reported, “According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Colt Gray has been charged with four counts of felony murder and is being tried as an adult. His father, Colin Gray, was arrested on charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder for allegedly knowingly allowing his son to access the weapon, which was an AR platform-style weapon.”
Parent Emily Silberman said the father is responsible, “pointing to an investigation that took place after the FBI received multiple tips in May 2023 about an online threat for an unspecified school shooting.” Again, as reported, “The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office questioned both the suspect and his father; the suspect denied making threats and the father said his son did not have access to his hunting guns.” Silberman also advocated for gun control measures such as a gun “buy-back program to reduce the gun supply.”
Parent Jeffery Ryans said he was worried about his daughter going to school after the shooting, but said the police presence at her school gives him “some peace.” Ryans elaborated: “You can never say never. You hope it never happens at your school, but the school that it happened with yesterday, I’m sure those parents never thought it would happen at their school.”
These earnest well-meaning parents, empathizing with the trauma of the parents whose children were killed and wounded, were grappling with a topic that has escaped solutions for decades. Likely, the reality is there are no solutions; only trade-offs, and some are better than others.
