While more adults are unsure about school shootings, they agree on how to address children’s usage of social media

Des Moines, Iowa – Around the nation, legislators are investigating strategies they believe could better shield kids from the risks associated with social media use and stop the spate of school killings.

For instance, a recent law in Florida prohibits minors under the age of sixteen from having social media profiles. Legislators from Iowa’s Republican Party are considering proposals that would facilitate the arming of staff members and teachers and increase funding allocated to school security.

The majority of the 1,005 adult respondents to the Grinnell College National Poll, which was released last week, concur on how to handle children’s social media use, but they can’t agree on how to handle school shootings.

Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said that social media platforms shouldn’t be accessible to children under the age of sixteen. For responders who have children living at home, that percentage rises to 65%.

57% of adults surveyed were in favor of prohibiting smartphones for students in classrooms.
The survey also included a question about school safety. However, adults disagreed on what would make pupils safer in this location in the wake of nationwide school shootings.

Some respondents said they would prefer more protection at schools. Employing armed guards received the greatest percentage (44%). Of the five choices, arming teachers received the least amount of support (28%).