Non Profit Organization Releases Chilling Advertisement
On September 18th, a gruesome public service announcement debuted on American television. The advertisement depicts intense and graphic scenes of students being involved in a mass school shooting. The video is meant to prevent and raise awareness of the ongoing issue of gun violence and school shootings in the United States.
“Back to School Essentials,” released by anti-violence nonprofit organization Sandy Hook Promise, shows young students using their back-to-school purchases as helpful tools in the midst of a school shooting. The video went viral overnight and has become a popular topic of discussion in the U.S., especially between students, teachers, and parents.
The commercial and its grim images has sparked a wide variety of emotions within its viewers.
“[The commercial] instantly made me feel sad,” freshman William Murrell said. “It shows ordinary kids going to school not knowing the trauma [they are] about to experience.”
While some viewers felt sorrowful after watching the video, others said they were more frustrated.
“I watched [the video] and just got really angry,” sophomore Angel Garcia said. “I [do not] understand why someone would ever go into a school and start a shooting.”
Some viewers believe the public service announcement is effective and successful because it has sent a clear message that the issues of gun violence and school shootings need to be resolved.
“The message [in the commercial] is solid,” junior Lillian Baker said. “It exposes how our society normalizes school shootings.”
Some viewers feel the advertisement is so effective that they shared it with others.
“I showed [the video] to all of my classes,” biology teacher Amy Blaker said. “I wanted to start a discussion about how students felt about their safety in school, and [the video] started that discussion.”
While some viewers see the video as a successful way to get people talking about the issues of gun violence and school shootings, others believe it is too graphic to be shown on television.
“I don’t think the commercial [should have] been made public because it took a really dark turn,” sophomore Jennifer Sanchez said. “The screams and sounds of gunfire were really disturbing and may have distracted people and kept them from understanding the main idea [of the video].”
Although viewers hold different opinions on “Back to School Essentials,” the public service announcement has triggered discussion throughout America about gun violence and school shootings.