Canadian schools are safe, experts say
⭐️HERE YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW⭐️
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This story contains details that some readers may find distressing.
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If you find this topic distressing, ask an adult or trusted person to read it with you.
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A deadly shooting at a school took place in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24th.
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In all, 21 people died, mostly children.
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It’s normal to be scared after hearing news like this.
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But experts say schools in Canada are safe.
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Keep reading to understand more. ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
People are gathering to show their support for the victims of a tragic school shooting that took place in Uvalde, Texas, earlier this week.
The news is hard to digest: on May 24, 19 children and two teachers were killed when an 18-year-old man entered a school and shot them.
If you go to school every day, you may be wondering if you are safe.
“Just because something can happen doesn’t mean it’s likely to happen.” – Rebecca Pillai Riddell, child psychologist
Canadian schools “are safe places,” said Rebecca Pillai Riddell, a child psychologist at York University in Toronto.
The truth is that school shootings have happened in Canada, but they are extremely rare. Experts say this is largely because Canada has very strict gun laws.
What happened in Uvalde, Texas?
Uvalde is home to about 16,000 people and is an hour’s drive from the Mexican border. (Graphic design by Philip Street / CBC)
On Tuesday, Robb Elementary’s 600 students were getting ready to celebrate the end of the school year.
The attack took place in a fourth grade classroom.
These are the students and teachers who are remembered. (Image credit: Family Brochures / Reuters)
The person responsible for the shooting was killed by a police officer at the school.
Police are still investigating to find out why the shooting happened.
Since the tragic incident, people have gathered in person and online to remember the victims and share their grief.
Texas singer and actress Selena Gomez is one of many celebrities who have spoken out.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expressed his sadness on behalf of all Canadians.
“Wrong,” says the president of the United States
There have been 27 school shootings in the U.S. this year.
Politicians and celebrities are calling for stricter gun laws to prevent such incidents.
“Why are we still letting this happen?” asked U.S. President Joe Biden in a speech after the shooting.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the media after the May 24 shooting in Uvalde. (Image credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta / The Associated Press)
Part of the reason is something called the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, which dates back to 1791.
It means that Americans have the right to own and carry weapons.
Glenn Hanna, a former RCMP officer who teaches crime at Guelph-Humber University in Ontario, said that this right was born out of the American Revolution, which took place more than 200 years ago, between 1775 and 1783. .
During that war, people took up arms to fight for British independence.
“This is their culture, to always have weapons, to be prepared to overthrow a government that has gone out of control,” Hanna said.
Weapons are part of her “cultural makeup,” said Wayne MacKay, a retired law professor at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.
“Having a gun is a basic individual right” for the people of the United States, he said.
But many in the United States, including politicians and celebrities like Kim Kardashian, are calling for laws to be changed.
“The idea of an 18-year-old boy being able to walk into a store and buy two assault weapons is wrong,” Biden said in his speech. “Why, in the name of God, do you need assault weapons but to kill someone?”
Assault weapons are the types of weapons often used in warfare, which allow the shooter to fire multiple bullets one after the other.
But many Americans see stricter gun laws violating their rights, and some politicians have prevented the laws from changing.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the shooting was a mental health issue, not a gun issue.
How Safe Are Children in Canada?
The most recent shooting at a school in Canada took place in February at a high school in Scarborough, Ontario, in which one person, an 18-year-old man, was shot and killed.
But this was the first fatal shooting at a school in Canada in nine years.
Experts generally say that Canadian schools are safe from armed violence.
Because? Well, it is very difficult for anyone, not just young people, to get weapons in this country.
A poster with the names of the victims is being made during a vigil on May 25 in Uvalde. (Image credit: Marco Bello / Reuters)
Specifically, Canadian law makes it difficult to have assault-style weapons, “especially multiple types of firearms, of the types often used in these tragedies,” MacKay said.
In Canada, anyone who wants to own a weapon has to go through a number of time-consuming steps, such as taking a course, obtaining a license, background check, and registering the weapon.
All weapons must be stored securely so that they cannot be easily accessed.
People who want a gun must have a specific reason for it, Hanna said.
Most people in Canada own weapons for hunting, MacKay said, such as rifles.
Are you scared? This is normal
Rebecca Pillai Riddell, a child psychologist, said it’s normal to feel scared, anxious, or even angry when you hear news like this.
It will never make sense for bad things to happen, he said, and it’s okay to talk about it with an adult and share your feelings, but he doesn’t recommend stopping by.
“Just because something can happen doesn’t mean it will probably happen,” he said.
Community members gather in the town square of Uvalde for a prayer vigil to honor the victims. (Image credit: Jordan Vonderhaar / Getty Images)
If your feelings last for a few weeks and prevent you from doing normal things in your life, you may want to talk to someone, such as a parent, a teacher, or even the Child Care Service.
If you want to do something positive, there are many options, he said, such as arranging a pastry sale to send funds to survivors, creating a TikTok video to raise awareness, or initiating an online petition.
Here are some tips for dealing with sad or scary news:
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Archived by The Associated Press, CBC