Gun Law Reform

On Wednesday, in an average German suburb, 17-year old Tim Kretschmer killed sixteen people at his former high school. He then killed himself. The country finds itself in an unenviable position. It's now second in the world for school shootings, with only the United States first. German politicians have already begun to call for reform of the country's gun laws. They have also begun pointing fingers of blame at video games and the violence shown by the media.

Within minutes of the attack, news sources had posted images of police and grieving students on TV and the Internet. Within hours, it was discovered that the boy's father had an extensive gun collection. All the guns were acquired legally through German gun clubs. Within days, interviews with old classmates and neighbors showed Tim was a loner who enjoyed horror movies and violent video games. All of these points are pushing the question forward: What is the root cause of the problem? Is it the gun laws, society, or some other factor?

Most agree that limited access to guns will certainly solve the problem. Yet the role of the media and the Internet must also be examined. The news, pictures, and videos remain available for years and years. The violent acts remain as a detailed template for future attacks. Violent video games, movies, and songs worsen the problem.

Psychologists also point to a mix of depression, rage, and suicidal tendencies as the main culprit. Parents in particular, and society in general, must be more attentive to the problems young people face, which suggests that stricter laws and private security at schools may not be

Preview some of the lesson material:

Warm Up: Do you agree or disagree? Why?

1. Violent video games make children violent.

2. Violent movies make children violent.

3. Everyone should have a gun if they want one.

4. Children are angrier and more violent these days.

5. I'm concerned about children and school shootings.

Fragments: Remember how the fragments were used, and complete the sentence from today's article.

1. On Wednesday, in an average German suburb, 17-year old Tim Kretschmer...

2. They have also begun pointing fingers of blame at...

3. All of these points are pushing the question forward...

4. The news, pictures, and videos remain...

5. Psychologists also point to a mix of...

Post-Comprehension: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers!

1. What do you think is the reason for school shootings? Please explain.

2. Why do you think these shootings happen? Please explain.

3. Has something similar happened in your country?

4. Is society as a whole becoming more or less violent these days? Why do you think so?

5. If you could interview Tim Kretschmer, what would you ask him? What sort of answers would he give?

Google Search: Type "school shootings" into Google. Look at the websites, and/or read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or wr

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