The Role of Leadership in Surviving a School Shooting

Abstract

At a small rural middle school in the southern United States, two students murdered a teacher, four students, and injured 10 during a shooting spree. This case represents the lived experiences of a school principal, counselor, and community that survived the deadly rampage. The case highlights the challenges that school leaders may face such as making quick decisions, managing volunteers, and assisting faculty, staff, students, and parents in returning to a level of normalcy. Although the experience is based on a real event, all identifying information (i.e., location, names) has been masked with pseudonyms. The case encourages discussion and reflection among school leaders in responding to youth violence on school campuses.