Have American schools abandoned all hope?

Last month I wrote an article on how frightened parents in the United States were buying their children bulletproof backpacks but now it seems the fear has only increased. There have been at least 20 school shootings this year alone in America and with little being done to address the issue of gun control schools have begun installing 'Active Shooter' boxes to try and save lives.

More than 20 schools in Illinois — including 4 in Chicago — have installed alarms that contact local police in the case of an active shooter.

The system is manufactured by Elgin-based BluePoint Alert Solutions. https://t.co/Z2TnNVnmhW pic.twitter.com/lxZ4U3DXB3 — Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) September 16, 2018

The boxes work like a fire alarm and alert local authorities that there is an active shooter present in the school. The blue boxes have been installed in at least 20 schools but will this really do anything to deal with the epidemic of school shootings? Most students carry their mobile phones with them throughout the school day meaning they already have a way to contact the police if an emergency should occur. Attempting to pull an alarm could also alert a shooter to your presence.

Illinois schools set up 'active shooter' boxes that look like fire alarms pic.twitter.com/6n2KzvwwZd

— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) September 17, 2018

The tragic Columbine High School shooting happened almost two decades ago but the United States is still in the grip of a gun control crisis. More than 140 shoot shootings have occurred in the last five years. Only recently an Iowa teacher narrowly escaped death when a student attempted to shoot them in the face. The gun luckily failed to fire. The student in question is only 12 years old. Despite protests and marches throughout the States very little is being done to address the issue but for parents sending their children to school in this volatile situation the solution can't come soon enough.