With the school year well underway, I can’t help but wonder — will there be another high school shooting?

Actually, the real question should be, WHEN will there be another shooting?

Kids killing kids used to be a shock; now it is just a sad fact of life. I can remember last year, after the many school tragedies, hoping that my school would not be next. I was paranoid. I kept a very close eye on the students I saw in long trench coats, checking to see if there were any bulges resembling a shot gun — or any gun for that matter. High school, for awhile, became a very scary place.

I kept my eye on the boys mostly, considering that every one of the school shootings was carried out by a boy. Why are they committing these crimes? Why not girls?

I was my big brother’s punching bag for 13 years.

He never had a good reason for pounding on me.

Usually it was because there was nothing on T.V. He also loved getting me and my sister fighting. Needless to say, he was easily entertained.

Now my brother may have been a little crazy, but there is no way that he could truly hurt anyone.

Still, many boys have these violent tendencies instilled in them from birth. They prefer the GI Joes to the Barbies, making forts rather than playing house.

Boys are not allowed to cry about their injuries. Their dads tell them to “be a man” or “walk it off.” Girls, on the other hand, are allowed to whine. In fact, it is almost encouraged.

Since our environment influences the way we think, young, rough-housing boys are considerably more violent than girls who tend to have a greater, emotional support system, given that they are allowed to be emotional.

This lack of male emotional support could explain why boys are more likely to commit violent crimes than girls.

Several boys in the school shootings were struggling with family problems or peer-group humiliation.

If a boy lacks a strong mind and is never allowed to talk about his violent tendencies, he could easily commit a horrible act of violence.

This is not completely the fault of parents; our society is set up this way. Boys are the stronger sex, they aren’t supposed to need anyone.

Who are we trying to kid, everyone needs someone. It is hard to imagine not talking about something that was really bothering me.

That is just a part of being human.

Violence is also part of being human, it shouldn’t be, but it is. Most everyone in the US watches violent movies and television shows. Does this add to the number of factors which create violent children?

When a child is raised with a great deal of emotional support and supervision, they know right from wrong — real from make-believe.

Weak parenting creates violent children because weak parenting leaves children with weak minds.

Weak minds looking for a means of expression can easily break under social pressure, and that is when children fall back on the examples they know to work: violent images of revenge.

Banning violent content may be next to impossible since the news is the most violent program there is.

I will agree that it has gotten out of hand though. I am shocked at the things that are shown on broadcast channels, never mind cable.

It is very easy for children to imitate violent actions when the network censors have guaranteed that we never see the consequences of those actions.

Television, parents and society are the three foundations which can contribute to youth violence.

Parents need to take a bigger role in their children’s lives.

Step away from society’s expectations, look at the big picture. Children need love and support so that they do not feel isolated in this crazy world.

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Jessica Bittner is a freshman in journalism and mass communication from Council Bluffs.