Money Talks

$20.5 million.
That’s the sum of money that eight students are suing York for after the March 6 Student Centre shooting.
This amount of money is a sum that I will never personally attain in my lifetime. An amount so large that’s justifiably comparable to winning the lottery.
But it seems so opportunistic of these students to go after one of the largest universities in Canada in such grand fashion. Scrums, press conferences – this has all conveniently turned into a spectacle that is being carefully monitored by major media outlets across Canada.
Don’t get me wrong: York has fumbled the metaphorical football when it comes to safety on campus. The school’s response was delayed at best the morning after, or even the night of the shooting.
Excalibur’s social media accounts exploded with photos, videos and stories about the shooting. We responded well before the school itself, having a full story published before York even sent out an email regarding the incident.
Then, there is the fact that the Student Centre wasn’t, at the time, equipped with security cameras. This would eventually lead to police having to crowdsource videos and images from witnesses, instead of using security footage.
[su_quote]It’s disappointing that students had to hear from our own Twitter account that the shooter was still on the loose the next morning.[/su_quote]
I have defended York countless times, argued that this school is just as safe as any other in Canada. I have argued with colleagues that York is in fact treated unfairly by the media. But after this incident, I am starting to lose the faith I once had for this school.
Safety is a key issue here at York. But still the question remains, is that $20.5 million a justifiable sum of money, or just a quick cash grab? If these eight students win their lawsuit, it is money that could be used to improve safety on campus. This money could go towards securing our campus, hiring more security guards or just improving lighting on campus.
I can’t image the psychological damage involved with being injured during a school shooting, or even witnessing it. As students, we are supposedly immune to gun-violence that is frequently glamorized in movies and television. The life-long impact and trauma associated with experiencing something like this in real life must be truly terrible.
However, things still need to change at York. Students have the right to feel safe on campus, and the school needs to continue to grow and make safety their number one priority. Today, we need to read between the lines of This Is My Time campaigns, bachelor degrees and grade point averages.
Today, we need to place our health and safety before anything else. It isn’t fair that we have to walk through the Student Centre and remind ourselves that though this is a place where we all gather to eat and spend time with friends, this is also a place where tragedy struck.
My condolences go out to the students who were impacted during this appalling event, but the price tag tacked onto it seems grandiose, excessive, and even greedy. I’d like to believe that some things are more important than money.
As for those eight students, this lawsuit feels more like an opportunity for capital gain than anything else. I feel inclined to suggest that what has resulted from this awful event could actually be a unique chance to encourage positive change on campus, and benefit all students here at York.
 
Michael Burton
Editor-in-Chief
 
Illustration by Erika Madsen