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Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
School shootings in the US: Bullets bleed local economies too; here's the hidden toll
Every time a school shooting occurs in the United States, the country is gripped by grief. Public attention rightly focuses on the devastating human toll: The lives lost, the families shattered, and the communities plunged into mourning. But beyond the grief, another quieter consequence unfolds in parallel. A measurable, lasting disruption to local economic life. A forthcoming study, exclusively previewed by the Harvard Business Review , sheds light on this underexplored dimension. Drawing from empirical analyses and behavioural experiments, the research uncovers how fatal school shootings trigger a sustained decline in everyday consumer activity in the surrounding community. People avoid shopping, dining out, and spending time in public. Not because of grief alone, but because of heightened anxiety, the fear that the violence could strike again, anywhere. A measurable dip in daily spending Between 2013 and 2024, the US witnessed 1,843 school shootings, nearly two per week, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database . This figure is 57 times higher than all other G7 nations combined. While the statistics are shocking, the new research draws attention to what happens after the media spotlight fades. Local economies quietly contract as communities retreat from public life. The findings are based on several layers of data. One key source was household-level grocery purchase data from NielsenIQ's Homescan panel , a consumer program that tracks retail and grocery spending patterns. Researchers analysed trends across 63 fatal school shootings between 2012 and 2019, and compared weekly spending before and after shootings in directly affected counties, while controlling for seasonal trends and household-specific behaviours. Results showed a significant 2.1% drop in household grocery spending that persisted for six months. In economic terms, this seemingly modest decline translates into approximately $5.4 million in lost sales for a county's retailers. For small businesses, many of which operate on thin margins, this loss is far from trivial. In fact, it can mean the difference between staying open or shutting down. The chilling effect extended beyond groceries. Using foot traffic and transaction data from SafeGraph , a company that provides high-quality geospatial data on physical locations, and Advan , which tracks foot traffic, trade areas, and visitor demographics across buildings in the US, Canada, and several other countries, researchers analysed consumer behaviour at restaurants and beverage retailers following 44 fatal school shootings between 2019 and 2022. Restaurant spending dropped by an average of 8%, while overall food and beverage-related retail fell by 3%. Anxiety affects consumer behaviour Controlled behavioural experiments further confirmed the findings. Participants exposed to news about a fatal school shooting expressed significantly greater reluctance to visit public spaces compared to those who read about other tragic events such as car accidents or drownings. This hesitancy was driven not by sadness or grief, but by fear: A feeling that the violence could repeat itself in their own community. Interestingly, the study previewed by the Harvard Business Review found no increase in online shopping or other substitute activities. Instead, people simply withdrew from consumption altogether. 'Anxiety was the strongest predictor of avoidance,' the authors noted. 'Far more than sadness or grief.' Political and cultural context also influenced the economic fallout. In more liberal-leaning counties, grocery spending declined by about 2.4% following a school shooting, compared to just 1.3% in conservative areas. The Harvard Business Review reports that this pattern stems from differing interpretations of mass violence. Liberals tend to see school shootings as symptomatic of systemic issues, which heightens their perception of future risk. Conservatives are more likely to view such acts as isolated incidents, reducing the sense of personal threat. Collateral damage, counted in dollars These insights underscore the reality that school shootings, even when geographically limited, reverberate through entire communities: Emotionally and economically. They destabilise local economies by eroding the very behaviours that sustain community life. For businesses, recognising this hidden cost is the first step towards meaningful, long-term recovery. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
The Independent
29-07-2025
- The Independent
Schools could soon deploy a ‘campus guardian angel' drone defense system against shootings
Florida schools could soon deploy the 'Campus Guardian Angel' drone system to help police defend against shootings. School shootings are prevalent in America, especially in states such as Florida. The state has documented more than 60 school shooting incidents since 2018, local ABC affiliate WTXL reported, citing the K-12 School Shooting Database. Nikolas Cruz, 19, opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in February 2018. A total of 17 people were killed and 17 more were injured. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The new drone technology could help prevent such tragedies by deploying drones to schools in seconds and providing police with immediate situational awareness, according to WTXL, which reported on the program. On Monday, the program was demonstrated at the Leon County Schools District Security Center. The drones live-streamed video, and one even knocked down a dummy to show its ability to use force to delay a threat. The pilot program has $557,000 in state funding behind it, but Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna told WTXL the cost to fully implement the system past the pilot could be more than $1 million. 'I think anytime you make an investment you have to think of the return on that investment. So, as we are hiring an additional deputy sheriff in all of our high schools, so we have security monitors in all of our schools,' Hanna said. He continued: 'We have a weapons detection dog—that comes with the price tag. We have AI software in our cameras. All that comes at a price point, and so it's us managing that budget and trying to figure out where we're getting the biggest bang for our buck.' The state funding for the pilot program will cover its implementation in three school districts, according to the local outlet. Leon County is being considered. In April, some of the students who survived the Parkland shooting had to endure another school shooting at Florida State University. The suspected gunman, Phoenix Ikner, has been accused of killing two people and injuring six more. His defense attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
ISU shooting probe yields ID for person of interest. What we know on Bone Center shooting
Illinois State University officials issued an emergency alert just before 8 p.m. on April 27, warning students, staff and local residents about shots being fired on or near the university campus. University police confirmed one victim was shot and identified a person of interest. Here's what we know. The university confirmed in a Monday news release that one person was shot "during a registered student organization event at the Bone Student Center" in Normal, Illinois. The shots were fired during a fight in the entryway outside the event, resulting in a "non-life-threatening gunshot wound to a non-student," according to the ISU Police Department. The victim, who has not been identified, was transported to a local hospital. Police are looking for a 5'10" slender male with a black afro hairstyle, wearing all black clothing, according to the university's release. Officials say the person was last seen running south from University and College streets and may be armed and dangerous. The ISU Police Department shared two photos of a person of interest on Facebook, which can be seen below. There is no shelter-in-place order for the ISU campus, but the student center will be closed on Monday as police continue to investigate. All other classes will resume on Monday, according to the news release. The university said eyewitness information should be emailed to ISUPolice@ "Illinois State University Police Department continues to investigate with assistance from Normal Police Department, Bloomington Police Department, McLean County Sheriff's office and Illinois State Police," the university said in its Monday release. "Counseling services are currently available to students, faculty and staff." Others are reading: Student teacher arrested in Washington after 'inappropriate' shooting comment on social media The K-12 School Shooting Database has recorded 77 school shootings so far in 2025. This includes "shootings when a gun is fired, brandished with intent to harm or a bullet hits school property for any reason, regardless of the number of victims, time, or day of the week," according to the organization. This story has been updated with additional information. Steven Spearie contributed to this article. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: ISU campus shooting 2025: Police ID person of interest, what we know
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers take steps to pass Alyssa's Law to increase safety during school shootings
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — An estimated 80 to 90 percent of the world's school shootings happen in the United States, and Illinois faces the fourth most out of all the states, ranked only behind California, Texas and Florida. The K-12 School Shooting Database, which compiles data every time a firearm is discharged on school grounds, found that Illinois has had 152 shooting incidents since 1966. State lawmakers are working to change that by taking a measure to increase safety in schools during a school shooting. Rep. Janet Yang Rohr introduced a bill, also known as Alyssa's Law. 'I think it was the right thing to pass the torch': Durbin talks about retirement from Congress This would require all public schools, including charter schools, to have a mobile panic alert system. This is a silent alarm that would allow teachers to contact and connect in real time with emergency services within seconds. Rep. Yang Rohr, who is a mother of three, said nowadays families can't stop thinking about the unimaginable. 'The reality of the day for parents is that even as we send our children to school every single day, there are moments when we have to confront the reality and think the unthinkable,' Yang Rohr said. 'We do not get a second chance when it comes to saving lives, and passing Alyssa's Law is one of the concrete steps that we can take to turn that.' The bill is named after Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old girl who was killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. Her mother, Lori, shared her story in a news conference and said her daughter is no longer here, but passing the law in the state will save many more lives. 'In the Apalachee shooting, the panic button was used. The teacher saw the shooter and started pressing their panic button and was able to get on the scene to help the people that were shot,' Lori said. 'All those students lived because we were able to get help faster. Time equals life, and we know the faster we can get help on the scene, the more lives we will help to save.' Alyssa was shot while in her English classroom. She survived the first shot, and then while trying to escape before help arrived, the shooter killed her two other friends and then killed Alyssa. An autopsy confirmed she was shot eight times. Three staff members and 13 other students also lost their lives in the school shooting. Illinois advocates concerned about proposed cuts to care hours for developmentally disabled Now, Lori and her husband have turned their pain into action by starting a non-profit that funds school safety projects. They are going around the state to urge lawmakers to implement Alyssa's Law in their schools. Currently, seven states have adopted Alyssa's Law. Two states—Washington and Georgia— also have a bill on their governors' desks waiting to be signed. Under the bill, the State Board of Education will be in charge of the implementation and purchases of the system that all school districts can use. The bill has been re-referred to the Rules Committee. If the bill passes, it will take effect in January 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School cellphone ban approved by Alabama House of Representatives
The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bell-to-bell cellphone ban for students in public schools. HB 166, sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, passed the chamber 79-15. It requires local school boards to adopt a policy to store student cellphones during class hours. Hulsey said during a floor debate on Thursday that the devices could be stored in a device like a Yondr Pouch or a shoe organizer. 'The majority of the schools already participating in this are storing the cellphones in the classroom in various ways,' Hulsey said. Yondr Pouches are an expensive option compared to a $10 plastic over-the-door shoe organizer. Pike Road Junior High School Principal Christy Wright showed the Senate Education Policy Committee how the school implements a ban in February. The $30 Yondr Pouches at Pike Road were purchased with a grant. According to the bill, cell phones can be stored in a locker, car or other storage device so long as the device is not on the student's person. According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of U.S. high school teachers say that cellphone distraction is a major issue in their classrooms. Democratic representatives were concerned about how a student would access their phones in an emergency. Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, said that with school shootings a constant threat, a child should be able to contact their parents. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were 332 school shootings in 2024. There have been 52 in 2025 so far. 'We as a body need to protect our kids since we will not pass a bill to keep guns away from our school children,' Drummond said. Drummond has sponsored bills over the last several years that would effectively require parents to safely store firearms at home. The bills would also have allowed parents to be charged with misdemeanors if a child brought an unsecured weapon to school. But the legislation has not moved. A House committee killed Drummond's latest version of the bill in February. More: Alabama Senate passes bill expanding religious exemptions from vaccines Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard, brought up another potential event that could develop at school where a child may need to contact their parents. He said a student could need a change of clothes in the middle of the day. 'It's not a situation where it's life or death, it's not like somebody is coming in for a school shooting,' he said. 'I just think it's overreaching.' According to the bill, a student can have access to their phones under three exceptions: if they study under an Individualized Education Plan that allows it; for teacher-approved instruction and for medical purposes. Hulsey claimed that there is data that shows that cell phone bans cause improved test scores, retained information and students' mental health. Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, said she would like to see that data. 'I've just not seen the preponderance of students playing games while the teacher is trying to teach, the room being disrupted and out of order,' she said. 'I would just like to see that data at some point.' Alabama Department of Mental Health Commissioner Kimberly Boswell said in February the mental health of students would improve under the ban. Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, echoed that and supported the legislation on the House floor Thursday. 'It's going to make a difference,' Collins said. The House approved an amendment that removed punishments on schools that do not comply. Hulsey said she wished that was still in the bill but would bring a bill in a few years after seeing compliance. There is a survey required in the legislation to monitor compliance. 'I haven't passed a bill yet that I've loved every single thing about it,' Hulsey said. 'All of it takes compromise to move the needle a little bit.' Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, said that enforcement could be difficult without sanctions. 'We need to put some teeth into this bill,' Warren said. 'If we don't we're going to be in the same position next year as we are this year.' The legislation moves to the Senate. Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, has filed a companion bill in that chamber. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Will Alabama ban students' cellphones in public schools?
