School Safety Facts

While schools continue to be, statistically, one of the safest places children can be, Americans should have no tolerance for violence at school. Indeed, we must -- as a society -- take the steps necessary to make schools even safer. No single solution is sufficient. Some argue for "hard" responses, such as metal detectors, more school security personnel, and zero tolerance for weapons possession. Others argue for "soft" solutions, more counseling, conflict resolution programs, and better communications between schools and homes. The fact is, it will take a combination of both approaches -- administered with reason and centered in values like respect.

Perspective Check

Over the past decade, America's public schools have taken dramatic steps to enhance school safety. And those efforts are paying off.

• Only 10 percent of schools report any instance of serious crime. And 43 percent report no crime at all. (National Center on Education Statistics, Violence and Discipline Problems in U.S. Public Schools, 1996-97).
• The number of youths who said they carried a weapon to school fell by 28 percent between 1991 and 1997 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 1999).
• Ninety-nine percent of children's deaths occur away from school (Justice Policy Institute, 1999).
• In general, the public believes schools are becoming more dangerous -- even while crime rates have declined, and most students report they feel safe at school. Some 87 percent of students say their schools are safe (New York Times/CBS News, October 1999).

For more information about safety data, national perspectives, and federal policy, see the Justice Policy Institute/Children's Law Center's 1999 report School House Hype: Two Years Later, by Kim Brooks, Vincent Schiraldi, and Jason Ziedenberg. For more information on school crime and safety go to the National Center for Education Statistics Web site.

Next Steps

Clearly, the threat of violence against children in America is real, and problems in homes and communities spill over into schools. The National Education Association is working with its state and local affiliates to help make schools safer and address the needs of children.

• NEA advocates a focus on programs that are working to keep schools and communities across the nation safe. Simply talking about violence prevention can be an important first step.
• NEA state and local affiliates encourage the establishment of clear codes of conduct for students that spell out the consequences for inappropriate actions.
• We urge schools to communicate with parents about codes of conduct and help make sure policies are applied consistently.
• We provide assistance to schools and communities to help them avert crises -- and deal with them when they arise. In January 2000, NEA released a Crisis Communications Guide and Toolkit that provides guidance to schools through elements such as school safety checklists, developing violence prevention plans, and encouraging community support and involvement.

NEA and its affiliates also work to address root causes of violence among students by sharing effective strategies to:

• Reduce and eliminate bullying and harassment in schools.
• Expand access to counseling, anger management, and peer mediation programs.
• Provide safe mechanisms for students to communicate with adults about rumors and threats.
• Develop positive instruction that teaches values like respect and responsibility, and expand opportunities for young people to work with positive adult role models in after-school educational and recreational programs.

Since January 2000, NEA has shared effective school safety strategies through the Safe Schools Now Network. This nine-part series of video programs has reached millions of teachers, parents, community groups and human services providers. Videotapes are available from NEA's Professional Library.

We All Have a Role To Play

Threats to personal security in America are closely tied to the condition of families, neighborhoods and society at large. Adults need to be engaged in the lives of young people, and leaders in our society have unique roles to play.

NEA encourages elected officials to enact common sense gun laws -- especially those designed to keep weapons out of the hands of children -- including federal laws that would hold adults responsible if a child gains access to a loaded firearm that has not been properly stored and uses it in the commission of a crime; require safety locks; outlaw the transfer to and possession of semi-automatic weapons to juveniles, and raise the age of handgun possession to 21.

NEA also encourages elected officials to provide resources for smaller classes and smaller schools, and support alternative programs for chronically disruptive or troubled students.

Others in the community can help create a safe environment through coordinating education and recreation programs, and creating partnerships with law enforcement and social services agencies.

Parents and teachers need to communicate with each other on an ongoing basis about academic progress and issues related to children's health and safety.