Run, hide, fight! This is a protocol that is taught to many teens and younger kids in this generation because no action is taken against gun control. They go to school to learn about the drill for shootings instead of focusing on their education. In Santa Ana, you may not hear a lot about school shootings, but they can happen if no one takes action. Adolescents are scared for their lives in an environment where they are supposed to feel safe. The government seems to not care and focuses on other issues that don’t need urgent attention rather than this issue.

There have been many cases of school shootings worldwide, and in March of this year, California had the highest number. However, in 2020, the highest number was recorded and this exceeded previous years with a total of 274 people killed or injured. Many students and parents have been shocked. Some have even started to buy bulletproof backpacks. 

There are always two sides to every story and in this case it would be the teens or kids and the adults. Parents and teens are worried.

Junior Daisy Villalobos said she feels worried with the growing numbers in the shootings. She believes we should not be silent about this and has been bothered about the minimal change that the USA has made.

“It’s upsetting to know school shootings haven’t stopped. There hasn’t been enough real change in the way we handle these kinds of situations and we keep pushing them aside,” Villalobos said.

Parents and staff in schools such as SAUSD are also in this worried state as well. SAUSD Chief Communications Officer and parent Fermin Leal has frustrations too.

“I feel frustrated. The USA has many threats (regarding school shootings) and they haven’t acted on it,” said Leal.

Villalobos has many scares with the news coming out with a new shooting every week. It affects her day to day life as a student. Many others may joke about it, but she feels worried since she is a student.

“It is a big worry when someone jokes about it…because it is a very real problem with a very high possibility of actually happening,” Villalobos said.

Students aren’t the only ones afraid in their day to day life as parents worry even as their kids are at home.

Leal speaks on the protocols he has implemented with his kids when they are at home since he is able to control that. He believes all parents should trust their schools while their children are not with them at home.

“At home we teach them to check their surroundings and hide when they are at school,” Leal said.