State High’s recent thwarted shooting attempt has raised safety concerns, not only for the high school, but across the district. The aftermath of these events has made clear the importance of safety in schools, going beyond simply physical security. 

Safety encompasses emotional and psychological well-being, playing a pivotal role in shaping the mental health of students. When students feel safe, secure, and supported, they are more likely to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. 

“Psychological and physical safety are foundational to well-being, particularly regarding child development. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs places the need for safety above physiological necessities like food and water. Without safety, higher-level functions like learning and social connection cannot be fully achieved, and mental and emotional health may deteriorate,” BetterHelp, an online therapy platform, said.

A sense of insecurity for students can have significant negative effects on students’ mental and emotional well-being. Feelings of unease can lead to a decline in self-esteem, increased absenteeism, anxiety, and depression, which hinders students’ focus and motivation.

“There are two places I want students to feel safe, and that’s at home and in the classroom. When they don’t, it’s hard for them to learn about Shakespeare and all these things that we are able to explore in class,” English teacher Christopher Sakmar said,

Struggling with mental health issues can manifest as anxiety and depression, which can impair cognitive functions like attention, memory, and motivation. Students might find it challenging to complete assignments, participate in learning, and engage in discussions.

“The threat was pretty distracting not only for me but the teachers because […] they were more focused on whether they’re safe in the building than getting their school work done. So I feel like that affected both their mental health and their grades,” sophomore Isabelle Dubler said.

Students’ sense of safety also influences their attendance rates. When students have good mental health and feel comfortable going to school, they will attend more regularly, and consistent attendance is crucial for learning.

“I personally didn’t come to school on Monday,” Dubler said. “I know a lot of people who didn’t end up coming to school because they were fearing for their safety, and they didn’t know what was going to happen.”

Barbrow reflected on that week after the security threat was made known. “I think that academics were probably secondary on most people’s minds. […] It was regular scheduled school, but it wasn’t school as usual,” Barbrow said.

To prevent the entry of weapons and ease some distress about safety concerns, safety measures like the metal detectors and the bag searches were implemented.  

“I think kids have been really happy to see the increased security procedures; it makes them feel safer, more secure, more willing to accept a little bit of disruption in our schedule, so in that regard, I think things have gone really well,” Barbrow said.“It made [students] feel a lot safer knowing […] that the school actually did something, cause I know that some people were worried that the school wasn’t going to do anything and they were going to pretend that it was normal but the school stepped up and made sure that all students felt safe.”

In response to the unease many students were feeling, some teachers took a relaxed day, with less work and a less rigorous structure, to help relieve the stress some students were feeling. 

“Taking a blanket statement like ‘we’re just going to pretend like nothing’s happening’ might be good for some kids, but not good for others. And then also sitting and talking about it is beneficial for some students, but not others,” Sakmar said. “Some days, like this year, I will set a day aside for reflection, and then the students seem like they just want to do work and move on.”

Whether students prefer focusing on schoolwork or taking time to reflect, both could benefit from pressure being placed on them in a stressful situation. A break from rigorous schoolwork can give students a chance to escape the anxiety they are feeling and improve their well-being.

“I have actually been really pleasantly surprised by how resilient the student body has been with this situation. […] People were inconvenienced, it was inconvenient to come in, go through a metal detector, have someone rifle through your bag, and everyone who I saw understood [that] this is for the safety and the good of everyone,” Barbrow said.

The attempt definitely disrupted State High’s learning routine and brought to the forefront how important safety is for students’ mental health and learning. By prioritizing safety, schools can better the mental health of their students.