Blaming mental instability for every shooting is an easy trap to fall into. I’ve had plenty of conversations that start with, “Hey how can they not be mentally deranged when they are doing that?” Next time you hear that, remember these details.

Could enhanced firearm research have led to policies or laws that might have prevented active shooting incidents at Robb Elementary, Covenant Christian, and Michigan State University? Valuable research is part of the solution as well as the role of the courts. The U.S. Supreme Court announced Friday that it will hear United States v. Rahimi, a case weighing the firearms rights of people under domestic violence restraining orders.

Texas State University researchers tracked 520 attacks from 2000 to 2022 involving primarily guns but also knives and vehicles. Its research found civilians stopped 78 attacks with many involving security guards and off-duty police. Civilians used physical force to overwhelm the shooter in two out of three incidents. Compare that to the 26 incidents involving armed civilians who engaged, a tally involving 5% of the incidents throughout the 23-year review. Many of these involved armed security.

In addition to the priceless loss of life, Everytown For Gun Safety researchers last year estimated that gun violence costs the U.S. approximately $557 billion annually or 2.6% of the gross domestic product.

Who foots that bill? We all do.

With Uvalde haunting school district board members and administrators daily, it’s challenging to respond when people ask if their kids are safe at school. You want to say yes. But you also hope your district is doing enough.

School shootings, especially elementary school shootings, are rare. But as parents, we don’t play odds. Here are practical ideas to help you manage concerns over the new school year.