Classroom Conversations About Gun Violence

Abstract

This chapter examines gun violence in America and the ways in which it manifests in public schools. It considers gun violence in urban areas, death by suicide, and school shootings and other instances of mass gun violence. Finally, this chapter discusses what it means to teach in a society that has rampant gun ownership, loose firearm regulation, and a fetish with gun ownership. Suggestions for education are offered throughout based on the author’s experiences, qualitative research, and extended conversations with student teachers and children about guns.