School Shootings: We Can Do Better

On Tues, November 30, Ethan Crumbley allegedly killed four classmates at Oxford High School near Detroit Michigan using a gun that had recently been purchased by his father. He is being charged as an adult with one count of terrorism, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assaults with intent to murder, and 12 counts of possession of a firearm. His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are also charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with their son’s actions. They are accused of ignoring warning signs. Some have suggested that perhaps the school is also responsible for the deaths.

The day before the shooting, a teacher saw Ethan looking at photos of ammunition on his cell phone. This led to a meeting with a counselor and another staff member. When asked, Ethan explained that his family engages in shooting sports, thereby normalizing his interest in ammunition.

On the day of the shooting, a teacher alerted school counselors and the Dean of Students to drawings and written statements that he created. He drew a person who had been shot; the picture also included a gun. There was a note on Ethan’s desk, “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.” He was held for one and a half hours while his parents were called to the school. Again, Ethan normalized his behavior as having an interest in video game design. While waiting, he did his science homework and appeared calm. He was asked direct questions about thoughts of self-harm or harm to others, which he denied. The parents were told they must seek counseling for Ethan within 48 hours, otherwise, the school would contact Child Protective Services. The parents refused to take Ethan home with them for the remainder of the day, so he was allowed to stay at school and his parents returned to work. His backpack was not checked at the time. Sadly, Ethan started firing a gun during passing time between classes while other students were transitioning from one class to another.

In hindsight, numerous mistakes were made. They were slow to recognize danger. If the parents refused to take Ethan home, it was the legal and ethical responsibility of the school to safeguard both Ethan and the school. They failed to contact the police. A decision was made that because there had been no prior disciplinary problems, and because he denied intent to harm himself or others, and because they were not aware that he had a gun in his possession, a threat of risk was determined to be minimal. The counselor and school staff are mandated reporters. They should have called law enforcement for suspicious behavior if they didn’t have a detailed threat assessment or intervention plan.

NASP, National Association of School Psychologists, provides facts and tips about threat assessment in schools. (https://www.nasponline.org). I am reprinting their material here:

1. Threat assessment involves determining whether a student poses a threat of violence. Ethan had both intent and means to carry out the threat.
2. A threat is an expression of intent to physically or sexually harm someone. This expression may be spoken, written, or gestured. Threats can be expressed directly or indirectly to the victim or to others, and threats may be explicit or implied. Threats sometimes, but rarely, actually involve guns or explosive devices. Ethan expressed, through his drawing and writings, explicit threats, and also had a gun.
3. A threat to harm others can be transient (i.e., expression of anger or frustration that can be quickly or easily resolved or substantive (i.e., serious intent to harm others that involves a detailed plan and means). Ethan’s threat was substantive.
4. All school districts should develop and implement threat assessment procedures that are clearly communicated to staff and families. It appears that Oxford High School did not have a defined plan or procedure in place to deal with such threats. And in fact, the principal was not informed that he was released to home on Monday.
5. A school threat assessment is conducted by a multi-disciplinary team of trained professionals, including a school mental health professional, administrators, and school resource officer or local law enforcement. There was no team of professionals that were consulted in this case.
6. A threat assessment involves evaluation and classification of the threat (i.e., transient versus substantive) and appropriate response and intervention, including notification and involvement of parents and a written safety plan. It should include a suicide risk assessment as these students are often also suicidal.
7. There is NO profile of a student who will cause harm. There is no easy formula or profile of risk factors that accurately determines whether a student is going to commit a violent act. The use of profiling increases the likelihood of misidentifying students who are thought to pose a threat.
8. Most students who pose a substantive threat indicate their intentions in some way. Examples include statements to friends, ideas in written work, drawings, and postings on social media that threaten harm. As previously stated, Ethan indicated his intention and asked for help.
9. It is important to act quickly if you are concerned about a threat. Steps to take can include contacting the appropriate school administrator, the school crisis team leader, the school-employed mental health professional, and/or local law enforcement immediately. It is their job to determine the next steps.
10. Threat assessment should be a component of a comprehensive approach to maintaining a safe school, which offers a balance between physical and psychological safety.

So what can we do to prevent school violence as a community? We can have a discussion with our local schools to understand what procedures are in place. ICJIA, (Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority), compiled a literature review of various school safety practices and programs: Programs and Practices to Prevent School Violence and Improve School Safety. (https://icjia.illinois.gov) This is an excellent place to start a discussion in our communities.

And what can we do as individuals if we suspect a risk of harm to others outside of school settings? Call the police. If the level of harm is determined to be negligible, you will have peace of mind that you called attention to a potential risk.

My heart goes out to the victims, their families, their communities, and to the school staff for having to experience this traumatic event. It is human nature to assign blame when tragedy occurs. But blame rarely rests solely on one person, or one set of parents, or one school administrator. This is a complex system that requires multi-layered intervention.