High School Massacres

By Damaris Gutierrez

   On December 13, Karl Pierson, a former member of the Arapahoe High School Debate team, walked into the school’s library with the intention of killing the school’s debate coach after getting kicked out of the club. The debate coach narrowly escaped Pierson’s rage; however, 17 year old, Claire Esther Davis, suffered a nearly fatal shot to the head.  After firing the fifth round of bullets, Pierson made his way to a corner of the library and took his own life. Pierson was armed with a shotgun, two functioning Molotov cocktails, and a machete in his backpack. Understandably, teachers, students, and staff are shaken up by the incident. School will not resume until January 2014. 

   It is impossible to forget similar happenings throughout the years. School shootings have been recorded since the 1700s and since then the rate of such occurrences has grown exponentially. Columbine High School, which lies just 8 miles from Arapahoe High School, also has a grim stain in its history. In 1999 Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, two high school seniors, developed a highly complex attack on the students. This incident resulted in the deaths of 12 students and one teacher, and has been morbidly tagged Columbine High School Massacre. On December 14, 2012, another such incident hit the news. The twisted events at Sandy Hook Elementary School resulted in the death of 20 little boys and girls and 6 staff members. 

   What brings this onslaught of hate? According to Psychcentral.com, in the article Symptoms of an American Disease, bullying and feelings of social awkwardness and alienation are the leading causes for splitting- a psychological theory that splits the world into two: good/bad, weak/strong, me/them. Splitting results in hatred which compels students and those that are emotionally unstable to unleash their feelings of alienation on their peers as is seen in school shootings. Regarding the shooting in Arapahoe High, authorities are still trying to figure out the true motives behind the actions of Karl Pierson.  

   This morbid trend has led to various anti-bullying campaigns whose purpose is to lower the risk of teen suicide and school shootings. Stopbullying.gov seeks to encourage schools and communities in their efforts to stop bullying. On this site there are forums designed specifically to help those who harbor feelings of inadequacy and alienation. On site counselors here at school are also qualified to help students cope with stress and anxiety. 

   Our thoughts are with the parents of Arapahoe High School students, who are at this time waiting on Claire’s full recovery. If you wish to find out more about Claire Davis’ health condition and ways that you can help, go to www.littletonhospitalfund.org/gift or call the foundation office at 303-715-7600.

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