Are lawmakers missing the point?

Unsafe schools make stressed students

Opinion | October 2025

At 8:27 a.m. on August 27, a shooter opened fire through a window at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, killing two children and injuring 17 people.

According to CNN, this tragedy is only one of 53 school shootings this year in the U.S.

This leaves parents, students and teachers with more than a few questions. What is the government doing to fix gun violence, and why is it so easy for someone to buy a gun?

While the president is completely focused on getting rid of illegal aliens, which he claims have invaded the country, parents are left to wonder if

They are going to see their children make it home safe from school due to threats from gun violence or ICE abductions.

It’s absolutely ridiculous that children are dying because of failing gun laws and the government’s incompetence. While lawmakers sit in their cozy homes and send their thoughts and prayers, parents are burying their children.

Are the legislature's focus misaligned with the public's needs?

Instead of paying more attention to the major problems students are facing, such as gun violence, drug abuse, and mental health issues, lawmakers across the nation have decided to ban cell phones.

Wrong priorities

It seems like our government would rather pay attention to easier targets like phones than actually address serious problems.

They claim phones cause distraction in schools but fail to mention how school is not safe enough for students not to have their phones.

Parents should not be sending their children to school and wonder if they will see them again. Students should not be going to school worrying about the possibility of an attack.

Gun violence in school continues at an alarming rate, and people can obtain firearms with ease. The recent school shooting in Minneapolis highlights my main points.

Despite the pleas from parents, teachers and doctors about stricter gun laws, political divisions in Minne-sota have slowed any significant action from taking place.

While republicans and democrats are arguing over citizens’ rights to defend themselves or banning guns, students remain at risk of school shootings.

It should not be so easy to obtain firearms, and there needs to be stricter background checks.

Despite all this, Congress has done nothing while political leaders are going back and forth with this.

You can say that the guns are not the problem, but the people carrying the guns are. However, people would not be able to carry guns if they were not easy to get.

Until political leaders stop debating and start taking action, more and more children will die.

Malia Kimbrell, the mother of Vivian St. Clair, said, “If you think it won’t happen in your community and to someone you love, think again.” St. Clair was a third-grade victim in the Annunciation shooting.

Political leaders needs to stop sending their thoughts and prayers and start taking action.

Drug problems

Lawmakers also ignore other issues students are dealing with, such as mental health issues and drug addictions.

According to the National Center For Drug Abuse, 7.2% of teenagers report using drugs within the duration of a month during 2023, and 83.9% of those teens reported using marijuana.

There were 442,000 teens from ages 12-17 who also reported using more than just marijuana. In 8th grade alone, 5.4% students have used and are still using drugs while 15.1%  admitted to have at least tried drugs.

These kids are way too young for those numbers to be that high, and yet, the government officials and lawmakers have made no statements on how they plan to resolve this issue. Vaping, marijuana and pills pose a higher risk to students than phones.

The main issue in school is not phones; it's the educational system. Stress, exhaustion, tiredness and boredom are not minor complaints and adults need to pay more attention.

These emotions do not just impact mood but also learning, motivation and students overall well-being.

If schools want to create an environment where students can grow, engage and thrive, then lawmakers need to stop blaming social media or “lazy” teens. Students are stressed due to the heavy workload and overloaded schedules,

If schools want to create an environment where students can grow, engage and thrive, then lawmakers need to stop blaming social media or “lazy” teens. Students are stressed due to the heavy workload and overloaded schedules,

Solutions

These issues need to be fixed by everyone, not just teachers or students. Lawmakers need to strengthen the Department of Education instead of tearing it down. The Department of Education provides vital help for students through funding and protecting student rights. Without this assistance, schools will lose those strong supports, and the students end up paying the price.

Politicians need to put aside their divisions and pass laws for gun control because no one can pay attention to school if they are constantly worried about dying.

School does not feel safe anymore.

Parents and community leaders need to speak up for stronger safety measures and gun controls laws.

Administrators and teachers need to evaluate students’ academic workload, and schools need to hire more counselors, create wellness programs and build a safe space where students can talk openly about their mental health.

Creating school environments that values students’ well-being as much as test scores will make an enormous difference.