Imagine a nation where classrooms require the same security measures as airports, then consider that in the 2021-2022 school year alone, there were 327 school shootings with injuries or deaths at K-12 schools in the US, a stark reality that makes the urgent conversation about comprehensive school safety not just necessary, but a matter of daily survival for students.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2021-2022 school year, there were 327 school shootings with injuries or deaths at K-12 schools in the US
- From 2018 to 2023, 75% of school shootings involved firearms obtained from family or friends
- Between 1970 and 2022, 1,369 K-12 students and staff were killed in school shootings
- 28.3% of high school students reported being bullied on school property in 2023
- 19.2% of students aged 12–18 experienced bullying in 2021–22 school year
- Cyberbullying affected 21.6% of high school students in 2021 YRBS
- In 2023 YRBS, 16% of students felt persistently sad or hopeless
- 22% of high school students seriously considered suicide in past year (2021)
- 10% of students attempted suicide in 2021 YRBS survey
- 12% of students injured in rollovers or ejections from school buses annually
- 26 school-age children killed daily in vehicle crashes, many to/from school
- 58,000 public school students injured in bus-related incidents yearly
- 92% of public schools conducted emergency drills in 2021-22
- 81% of schools locked exterior doors during school hours
- 77% of public schools had security cameras in 2021-22
School shootings and mental health crises threaten student safety in America.
Bullying
- 28.3% of high school students reported being bullied on school property in 2023
- 19.2% of students aged 12–18 experienced bullying in 2021–22 school year
- Cyberbullying affected 21.6% of high school students in 2021 YRBS
- 15% of high school students were bullied because of perceived sexual orientation
- Boys (20%) more likely than girls (16%) to be bullied at school in 2021-22
- 39% of bullied students felt unsafe at school most days
- 1 in 5 students report being bullied in grades 6-12 annually
- Bullying victimization linked to 2.5x higher suicide attempt risk
- 60% of cyberbullied students feel it affects their safety at school
- Racial/ethnic minorities report 25% higher bullying rates than white students
- 14% of students bullied due to religion, 2021-22 data
- LGBTQ+ students 2x more likely to be bullied (45% vs 22%)
- 22% of students avoided school at least once due to bullying fear
- Middle school students (28%) bullied more than high school (16%)
- 9% of public schools reported chronic bullies in 2021-22
- Bullying peaks in 6th grade at 32% victimization rate
- 41% of bullied students experienced health effects like headaches
- 16% of students reported electronic/internet bullying, 2021
- 37% of students witnessed bullying at school weekly
Bullying Interpretation
These statistics reveal a grim truth: our schools are not just failing to be sanctuaries for learning but are, for far too many students, becoming curated landscapes of fear where bullying is a rampant, systemic crisis with devastating real-world consequences.
Gun Violence
- In the 2021-2022 school year, there were 327 school shootings with injuries or deaths at K-12 schools in the US
- From 2018 to 2023, 75% of school shootings involved firearms obtained from family or friends
- Between 1970 and 2022, 1,369 K-12 students and staff were killed in school shootings
- In 2023, there were 82 school shootings resulting in deaths or injuries, a record high
- 94% of school shootings from 2018-2023 occurred at schools without metal detectors
- From 2000-2019, 80% of school shooters obtained guns from home or relatives
- In the US, a school shooting occurs every 4 days on average since 2018
- 51 school shootings in 2021, up 40% from previous years
- Over 300,000 students exposed to school gun violence since Columbine
- K-12 schools saw 346 gun violence incidents in 2022
- 25% of school mass shootings from 1966-2019 involved students as perpetrators
- In 2024 so far, 51 school shootings with 4 deaths
- 70% of school shooters showed prior behavioral signs
- From 1999-2022, 428 people killed in school shootings excluding shooters
- Texas had 25 school shootings in 2023, most of any state
- 18% of students aged 12-18 fear attacks at school daily
- During 2021-22, 85% of public schools had a written plan for active shooter situations
- 39 school shootings in first 100 days of 2023 school year
- Perpetrators in 60% of school shootings were current or former students
- Gunfire on school grounds 2022-23: 348 incidents
Gun Violence Interpretation
The grim math of American school safety reveals that our greatest threat isn't always a stranger at the gate, but a preventable tragedy born at home, rehearsed in plain sight, and met with a practiced plan rather than an effective solution.
Mental Health
- In 2023 YRBS, 16% of students felt persistently sad or hopeless
- 22% of high school students seriously considered suicide in past year (2021)
- 10% of students attempted suicide in 2021 YRBS survey
- 35% of high school girls considered suicide, vs 14% boys (2021)
- LGBTQ+ students: 45% considered suicide, 20% attempted
- 57% of teen girls felt persistent sadness in 2021
- School absenteeism due to mental health: 15% of students missed 3+ days/month
- 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experienced mental health disorder (2020)
- Anxiety disorders affect 9.4% of children aged 3-17
- 20% of students reported poor mental health most days (2021 YRBS)
- Depression symptoms in 29.9% of adolescents during COVID (2021)
- 42% of high school students experienced poor mental health (2021)
- Suicide is 2nd leading cause of death for ages 10-14, rate 3.4 per 100k
- 25% increase in youth emergency visits for mental health 2019-2020
- 18% of children aged 3-17 had anxiety (2018-2019)
- 1 in 36 children has ASD, linked to mental health risks
- 44% of schools offered mental health assessments in 2021-22
- In 2020-21, 64% of public schools provided mental health services
Mental Health Interpretation
These statistics are a deafening alarm bell, not a set of data points, revealing a generation in profound distress where our schools have become frontline clinics for a mental health crisis we can no longer afford to treat with just thoughts and prayers.
Physical Injuries
- 12% of students injured in rollovers or ejections from school buses annually
- 26 school-age children killed daily in vehicle crashes, many to/from school
- 58,000 public school students injured in bus-related incidents yearly
- Playground injuries: 115,000 ER visits for school-age children annually
- Sports injuries account for 30% of school ER visits, 3.5M annually
- 1 in 5 school sports injuries are concussions
- School fights caused 683,000 injuries needing treatment (2018)
- 20% of child ER visits are from falls, many at school
- Asthma attacks at school: 10M missed school days yearly
- 4,000 school bus crashes annually, injuring 17,000 students
- PE class injuries: 217,000 annually for ages 5-18
- Food allergy anaphylaxis: 1 in 13 children, 25% first reaction at school
- Bicycle injuries near schools: 40% of child bike ER visits
- 70% of school pedestrian deaths occur going to/from school
- Lab accidents in schools cause 18,000 injuries yearly
Physical Injuries Interpretation
While we obsessively sanitize the doorknobs, the real school safety crisis is a sprawling, daily gauntlet of buses, sports, stairs, and snacks that lands kids in the ER with alarming, and often preventable, regularity.
Preparedness
- 92% of public schools conducted emergency drills in 2021-22
- 81% of schools locked exterior doors during school hours
- 77% of public schools had security cameras in 2021-22
- 48% of schools required daily ID checks for staff/students
- 89% of schools had electronic access control at entrances
- Only 12% of schools had metal detectors in 2021-22
- 65% of schools had a school resource officer daily
- 96% of schools had written emergency plans in 2021-22
- 43% of schools used anonymous reporting systems for threats
- Lockdown drills conducted by 95% of public schools yearly
- 24% of schools buzzed in visitors only after ID check
- 70% increase in school security spending since 2018
- 87% of principals reported improved safety post-drills
- 33% of schools had panic buttons in 2022 survey
Preparedness Interpretation
Our schools are increasingly fortresses with drills and cameras, yet the reliance on human vigilance—from resource officers to anonymous tips—reminds us that the most crucial security layer isn't made of metal, but of community.
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