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Understanding School Shootings: Focusing on Probability Over Possibility
When Charlton Hall, MMFT, PhD, served as Chair of Behavioral Health for ReGenesis Health Care in Spartanburg, South Carolina, he became a trusted voice on issues affecting children’s mental health and safety. Among the many topics he addressed, one particularly sensitive subject was that of school shootings. As tragic and terrifying as these events are, they present unique challenges for both parents and educators in how they discuss safety with children without instilling excessive fear. In interviews with local reporters, Dr. Hall emphasized a subtle but crucial distinction: when children ask about the likelihood of a school shooting, it is often more helpful to focus on probability rather than mere possibility.
The Normalization of School Shootings
In our current cultural climate, news of shootings appears frequently and often with intense coverage, giving the impression that such events are a constant, ever-present threat. For children and adults, this can trigger heightened anxiety and a sense of impending danger. Dr. Hall recognized that children’s natural curiosity and concerns about safety needed to be addressed with honesty, but also with perspective. His guidance was clear: while it is technically always possible that a school shooting could happen at any given school, the probability that it will occur at their particular school is relatively low. By framing the conversation around probability, children can develop a realistic understanding of risk without being paralyzed by fear.
Probability vs. Possibility
Dr. Hall’s approach utilizes behavioral health principles and child development research to help children understand risk and probability. Children may misinterpret rare events as common due to media coverage, but adults can assist by contextualizing these events and comparing them to more frequent risks. For instance, despite media reports of multiple school shootings, the actual probability of a child experiencing such an event at their own school is very low. Understanding the difference between possibility and probability can help children feel safer while acknowledging real dangers.
Pay Attention to the Emotional Component
Importantly, Dr. Hall also highlighted the emotional component of these conversations. Children often ask about school shootings not only to understand the facts but also to seek reassurance. By emphasizing probability, adults validate children’s concerns while simultaneously reinforcing that most schools remain safe environments. This balanced approach reduces anxiety without resorting to false assurances, which can undermine trust if children later encounter distressing news.
Beyond individual conversations, Dr. Hall advocated for proactive safety measures in schools, such as well-trained staff, emergency preparedness drills, and clear communication strategies. While these measures cannot eliminate the possibility of a school shooting, they do reduce risk and empower children and educators to respond effectively if an incident were ever to occur. By coupling probability-focused discussions with tangible safety practices, children gain both cognitive and practical tools for navigating their environment confidently.
Informed, Compassionate Conversations
In a society where sensationalized news and social media coverage amplify fears, Dr. Hall’s perspective is particularly relevant. Focusing on probability rather than possibility is not a matter of ignoring danger but of teaching children to weigh realistic risks against anxiety-inducing scenarios. This approach fosters resilience, critical thinking, and a grounded sense of personal safety, all of which are essential components of behavioral health.
Charlton Hall’s guidance on this delicate topic demonstrates the importance of informed, compassionate communication when addressing children’s fears. By explaining that while a school shooting is always possible, the probability of it occurring at their particular school is low, he provided parents, educators, and children alike with a framework for understanding risk, reducing anxiety, and maintaining emotional balance in the face of alarming news. His work continues to serve as a model for behavioral health professionals navigating the complexities of child safety, perception of risk, and media influence in contemporary society.
Transcript of the WSPA Interview
Charlton Hall chairs the behavioral health department at ReGenesis Health Care, and said the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, made it to the minds of his patients who’ve dealt with trauma.
“Because it’s just another reminder that the world isn’t always a safe place,” said Hall.
It’s a conversation, he said, parents need to have in their homes, too.
“[Help children] understand that unfortunately, this is the world we live in now and these things do happen,” he said. “The longer you [parents] sweep it under the rug, the more you’re going to have to deal with it at some point in the future.”
Hall advised limiting how much children are exposed to news of these shootings and leaving out the graphic details for younger children, while avoiding information they don’t ask for.
“Too much information for a small child would be something like going into graphic detail about what happened, about how many people were killed. Just let them know that something bad happened, and let the child be your guide,” he said. “But, in the same way, be realistic. Don’t try to minimize the danger, either.”
He says to remind children that school shootings are possible, but not always probable.
“Assure them that they’re safe. Review the procedures with the school,” said Hall, “And it’s important that they are looking to you as a role model as well, so if they feel stressed out, they’re looking to you as to how to respond to that.”
And, while at their own schools, he says kids need to know that making threats is never funny.
“If I hear a child making what they think is a joke, saying that they’re going to shoot up a school, or if a teacher hears that, or any kind of professional who’s a mandated reporter hears that, they’re required by law to report that,” said Hall. “It’s a very serious thing and can impact the rest of your life – it can keep you from getting into college, getting a job.”
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