Differences in Perception of Safety Before and After School Shootings: A Multi-Event Analysis

ABSTRACT Scholars have explored ways in which school shooting events have impacted students’ perception of safety. However, less is known on whether the effects of school shootings are stable across time and event. This study uses data collected through the Delaware School Survey before and after three school shootings, Columbine (1999), Virginia Tech (2007), and Stoneman Douglas (2018), to examine if individual events were associated with a decrease in how often students feel safe at school and if the effect was consistent across multiple events. Analyses indicate that there are noticeable and significant differences in perception of school safety while at school post-school shooting. Although there was a difference in perception of safety post Virginia Tech and Stoneman Douglas shooting, the difference was greatest post Columbine school shooting.