uns, Youth Violence
Youth violence can include bullying, slapping, pushing, or be as serious as assault and result in murder. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the five leading causes of death among teenagers are Accidents (unintentional injuries), homicide, suicide, cancer, and heart disease, with accidents accounting for nearly one-half of all teenage deaths. Homicide is the second leading cause of death among youth, and a major cause of non-fatal injuries.
Although less than 2% of all homicides among school-age children happen on school grounds (cdc.gov,) teen violence is still a major issue. There are many causes of teen violence, and most of that violence takes place without guns, in the form of fights and bullying away from school. According to the Centers for Disease Control the first step in preventing school violence is to understand the extent and nature of the problem. For more information about this topic, please visit cdc.gov.
Here are some characters from books that deal with gun violence/youth violence/school shootings...
Valerie Leftman from Hate List by Jennifer Brown was shot trying to stop her boyfriend, Nick, when he opened fire on their school cafeteria. She inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.
Gray Wilton from End Game by Nancy Garden is looking for a new start, but it doesn’t take long for him to realize that there are bullies in every school, and he’s always their punching bag. Their abuses escalate until Gray feels trapped and alone. He has no power at all until he enters the halls of Greenford High School with his father’s semiautomatic in hand.
Don't Forget about the power of three!!!
Head over to Moxie Writers for more on the YA cause/tough issue and organizations that help.
Head over to Susan Oloier's site for a song and lyrics that pertain to today's issue.
