‘Consistent support’ needed for Kentucky students who experience school violence

KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — School shootings and hoax emergency calls can have lasting mental health effects on students, according to Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates (KYA).

Psychologists and counselors note that students exposed to these threats often experience heightened anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and sleep problems. These effects can ripple into both academic performance and overall well-being.

“Make sure it does happen. So we are going to have a conversation at the kitchen table about this. I want to hear from you. I want to reassure you, but I also want to make sure that you’re also talking to at least one other person who can hear you, listen to you and respond to you,” Brooks said.

Brooks added that it’s important that families and schools provide consistent support, including safe spaces for students to express their concerns, and community conversations about safety.

“I think schools do a really good job of this, but I would hope that the day after a shooting, schools just hit the pause button on math class, first period tomorrow, and take some time to talk to kids about, ‘We know you know what happened in Minnesota yesterday, let’s talk about it,'” said Brooks.

He said support for every student can look different, so it’s important to make sure they have their “person.”

“In the case of one student, it might be the football coach. Maybe for another student it’s the youth minister,” Brooks explained. “Think of it as the kid’s Velcro source, who they can stick to.”