OVER recent years in the United States, adolescents have become a cause for major concern, particularly because of their involvement in school shootings. One of the most tragic and alarming cases occurred three years ago in Uvalde, Texas. There, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, a former student of Robb Elementary School, fatally shot 29 students and two educators, while injuring 17 others.
A year earlier, 15-year-old Ethan Robert Crumbley shot four students and injured seven people at Oxford High School in Michigan. This was a landmark case where, for the first time, parents were directly charged for the actions of their son and sentenced to prison time.
While no motive was found for the shooting in Texas, young Ethan Crumbley showed signs of mental instability, even telling his mother about disturbing dreams. His parents were charged with ignoring the signs of their son’s deteriorating mental health and were accused of not properly securing the weapon.
And while shooter, Ramos, would be termed an adult, he still falls into the adolescent age range, which experts say ends at 19 years old. He, too, had mental health issues leading to his devastating action. And just last year, 14-year-old Colt Gray was accused of killing two teachers and two students at a high school in the state of Georgia.
This boy’s father is facing charges for involuntary manslaughter, as authorities investigate whether he bought the AR-style weapon as a gift for his son. In this case, it was revealed that the young man was abused by his father, who is also being charged with 8 counts of “cruelty to children.” In addition, the parents are separated and on the verge of a divorce.
In an interview with the New York Times, Colt Gray’s maternal grandfather was quoted as saying: “I understand my grandson did a horrendous thing…and he’s going to pay the price”. He, however, added, “My grandson did what he did because of the environment he lived in.”
While we in Guyana have never had a school shooting, we have also known tragedy perpetrated by an adolescent, when a 15-year-old girl set fire to a school dormitory. The fire, which took place at a Mahdia school two years ago, claimed the lives of 19 children and injured several others.
Apart from this horrific fire, there have been recurring incidents of violence in our schools, some involving confrontations with teachers. I also remember years ago, after a spate of violence, children at a city school were searched and a range of weapons were discovered, including ice picks and knives.
While the school shootings in the US reveal children with serious mental health issues, statistics reveal that, globally, adolescents are becoming more prone to violence. And a recent British television series – ‘Adolescence’- centres around a 13-year-old boy arrested for the murder of a female classmate. This Netflix mini-series explores the psychological aspects of the crime and how the young teen’s mind might have been developing. It also examines ” the complexities of teenage behaviour and online culture.”
The creators of the series hone in on the disconnect between teens today and their parents, who are mostly clueless about the pernicious influence of social media. In this case, the young victim, Katie, uses particular emojis to send coded and derogatory messages to Jamie, who responds by stabbing her to death.
According to the Guardian newspaper in the UK, the idea came to the Star and one of the creators, Stephen Graham, “after a spate of distressing violent crime,” involving teenagers.
But ‘Adolescence’ also sends a dire warning to parents to get more involved in their children’s lives, and especially their use of social media. Says The Guardian: “It’s a cautionary tale about getting teenagers off screen and engaging with real life again…A plea to support, talk and listen, not let them fall through the cracks and disappear down the digital rabbit hole.”
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.