Summary
2021 has been the deadliest year for school shootings in the past four years. Shootings have also led to copycat threats, including after the November school shooting in Oxford, Michigan. Micah Martin, a17-year-old student from the PBS NewsHour's Student Reporting Labs network, talked to psychologist and school shooting expert Peter Langman about steps schools can take to deal with those threats.
Five Facts
-
Who
is interviewed in this piece, and what is his background?
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What
is the most important thing schools can do to prevent shootings, according to Peter Langman?
-
How
do threat assessment plans work?
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Why
might some students call in threats to schools, according to Langman?
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What
are some ways students can take care of their mental health in the wake of shootings, according to Langman?
Focus Questions
Does your school have a threat assessment system? If so, how does it work? If not, how can one be established?
Media literacy:
How is this piece's impact affected by having a student conduct the interview?
For More
Are you looking for ways to open up dialogue about school shootings and school violence in the classroom?
This lesson
can guide teachers and students through such a conversation.
