Forge productive path

I’m an 84-year-old retired clinical social worker who worked with youth, individuals, and families for 35 years, and have some suggestions to address the growing mass-shooting crisis.

Studies have shown that many mass shooters experienced a childhood of neglect, abuse, and/or bullying. Many parents lack appropriate parenting skills, especially regarding discipline. Parents may have addiction issues or experienced childhood abuse themselves. Not being fully healed or prepared for child-rearing may result in poor parenting, leading to children growing up with a lot of anger, frustration, anxiety and depression. Those feelings may snowball, becoming a ticking time bomb until a trigger sets them off and they become depressed, self-loathing and suicidal, or act out their anger, becoming homicidal. In this environment of inflammatory rhetoric, they may seek out other like-damaged individuals online with extremist ideologies.

So how do we address this crisis? On the community level, teachers are the most likely to notice aberrant behavior and can bring it to the attention of the parent(s), school counselor, social worker or Department of Human Services if abuse is suspected. We create curricula for all students around conflict resolution and teach them how to assert themselves in a productive, healthy manner and work through issues to avoid escalations, violence and bullying. Instead of detention, provide anger-management workshops to help students cope and resolve conflicts rather than add more punitive treatment to an already hurt individual. Push legislators to help fund accessible, affordable mental health treatment.

How do we keep damaged persons from acquiring destructive weapons? We march, we speak out, contact legislators and mandate common-sense gun laws.

Many perpetrators were once just children looking for love and affirmation. With the right tools, support, care and investment, they can forge a productive path.

CAROLYN DODD

Little Rock