While school fights have become more normalized, the cause isn’t discussed. Approximately 46% of high schools have school fights and violence in the United States, according to WRAL. So what’s the reason students fight? There are a lot of factors that go into why students are constantly getting into fights. Exposure to violence, home life and mental health issues are just a few of the causes that could lead students to choose violence in schools.
“The main issue is conflict resolution, your ability to communicate often comes from their home life, if they see certain behavior at home they may mimic,” said Coach Ray, ISS teacher.
Someone’s ability to communicate and solve disagreements is a direct result of their home life. Home life is a common reason to fight, someone’s home life may be toxic and students may take that toxicity to school. Parents and elders at home behaving in a certain way could be mimicked by youth. Poor parenting plays a big part in this, if parents are solving disagreements by using physical or emotional violence, students won’t know any other way to solve their disagreements at school.
“I felt like I had to so people could know my true worth. I searched for adrenaline because it distracted me from all the other stuff going on in my life,” said an Anonymous student.
16% of students throughout the U.S. suffer from depression, and when dealing with depression, impulsive behavior is very common. Other symptoms such as irritability, outbursts, and frustration. More than one-third of students in the United States have anxiety, according to the NIH, anxiety has very similar symptoms to depression which include excessive aggression and violence. When the brain is in constant fight or flight mode, bad decisions can be made, like fighting.
“Fighting and violence is derived from home life, like minded people hang with each other. The skippers hang out with the skippers, the fighters hang out with the fighters, you have to remove yourself from the environment that causes these bad decisions,” said Donti Coats, assistant principal.
With the technology that is now developed, kids will be exposed to violence at a younger age. What does that mean for their behavioral problems in the future? When exposed to violence at a young age people begin to imitate these actions, Michigan State University reported in 2015 that observational learning is very common in children. By observation bad habits can be picked up, this can mean a movie or video game showing violence.
Talking to an adult or even a friend before making a decision that could hurt you and others could help save you trouble in the future. stop and think whether this choice will benefit you. If you or someone you know is having home problems, mental health problems, or issues with violence, help them reach out for help.
Places that offer help:
https://www.thehotline.org/
Hopeline of North Carolina Teen Talk Line: (919) 231-3626
ReachOut (800 448-3000)