8: Linking School Violence to Mental Health Challenges in PreK–12 Students

This chapter explores the intersection of school violence and student mental health in PreK–12 settings, drawing on the author’s experiences as a social worker in the Washington, Maryland, and Virginia areas. Using an autoethnographic lens, the chapter highlights how violence in schools including bullying, physical altercations, and exposure to traumatic events creates lasting psychological consequences such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideation. Through case studies and personal reflections, the narrative illustrates how students’ behaviors are often misinterpreted as defiance rather than signs of trauma, leading to inadequate or punitive responses. The chapter underscores the disproportionate impact of violence on marginalized populations, particularly students of color, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or Questioning)+ youth, and students with disabilities, while critiquing zero-tolerance policies that exacerbate cycles of harm. Advocating for trauma-informed practices, restorative justice, and culturally responsive mental health interventions, the chapter calls for systemic reforms that prioritize healing, equity, and student well-being in the pursuit of safer learning environments.