The media has over-promoted youth, and youthful activities, to the detriment of publicizing needed information on other things. The entertainment culture has targeted the youth market and saturated it with vulgarity, sex and violence, and they make their money from targeting that audience. A lack of awareness of what goes on around them, on the part of most parents and taxpayers. Parents living vicariously through their kids, encouraging adult behavior while the kids are still in rompers, for the satisfaction of the parents, while they are putting adult stresses on their children. Multicultural education in schools, which presents every culture but American culture in a favorable light, and excludes any teaching of what has made this country great.
Parents lack of responsibility in raising their children.
Intervention of social welfare agencies and taking over raising of children from the parents, often when such intervention was not warranted. Overemphasis of sports throughout the culture. A marketing economy that focuses on profit at any price to those to whom the products and ideas are marketed. Others can likely add other causes. But, we must not let the country get hung up on the idea that guns caused the violence, or that suspending students will prevent another Littleton.