Violence in schools is endangering the health, welfare, and safety of

Violence in schools is endangeringthe health, welfare, and safety ofstudents and teachers across the

U.S.

School Violence

School violence is a subset of youth violence, abroader public health problem. Violence is theintentional use of physical force or power, againstanother person, group, or community, with thebehavior likely to cause physical or psychologicalharm.

What is School Violence?

Reason why school violence occurs:

1. Gang related violence2. Drug related violence3. Psychological Problems4. Bullying/ Hazing5. Social Groups

Preventing School Violence

-Toughening weapons lawsLeaders should start advocating for state officialsand school board members to address violence inschools. In most states implementing violentbehavior, especially possession of weapons andinitiation of a parent responsibility law for minorspossessing weapons.

Establishing weapon free school zonesSchool board members in many states have madetheir schools a weapon free zone. Efforts to do sohave involved the help from the school, home,community, law enforcement and health services.The board of education determines that possessionand/or use of a weapon by a student is detrimentalto the welfare and safety of the student and schoolpersonnel within the district.

A report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health ServicesAdministration (SAMHSA) indicates that, in the past year, onequarter (26.7 percent) of adolescent girls participated in aserious fight at school or work, group-against-group fight, oran attack on others with the intent to inflict serious harm.

Student Violence

Dealing with violent studentsStudents are less likely to learn when they feel harm from otherclassmates. Along with teachers are not able to teach in anatmosphere of fear for their own safety. In order to provide asafe and secure learning atmosphere of fear for children, schooldistricts must be able to expel violent students; transfer violentstudents to alternative schools or report violent actions.

Take privileges away from studentsSchool administrators must have the authority toact immediately in ways that restrict meaningfulstudent privileges. Such as to suspend parking,extracurricular activities, and sport privileges.

Health Affects of School ViolencePhysicalA number of students seek medical care for nonfatal,violence-related injuries. Some of these injuries arerelatively minor and include cuts, bruises, and brokenbones. Other injuries, like gunshot wounds and headtrauma, are more serious and can lead to permanentdisability.

Health Affects of School ViolenceMentalNot all injuries are visible. Exposure to youthviolence and school violence can lead to a widearray of negative health outcomes. Depression,anxiety, and many other psychological problems,including fear, can resultfrom school violence.

Start Preventing School Violence

What are schools doing to improve safety?Faced with intense public pressure, school administrators are taking action andimplementing programs designed to curb school violence. These programs include:• Physical surveillance, including weapons deterrence and the presence of securityguards or officers on campus• School policies designed to prevent violence bypunishing those who perpetrate violence• Instruction-based programs designed to address the precursors of violence,including bullying• Profiling of potentially violent individuals• Counseling at-risk students• Conflict mediation and resolution.

Talk To Your KidsIt's important for kids to feel like they can share their feelings, and know thattheir fears and anxieties are understandable.Rather than waiting for your child to approach you, consider starting theconversation. Ask kids what they understand about these incidents and howthey feel about them.Share your own feelings too — during a tragedy, kids may look to adults fortheir reactions. It helps kids to know that they are not alone in their anxieties.Knowing that their parents have similar feelings will help kids legitimize theirown.At the same time, kids often need parents to help them feel safe. It may help todiscuss in concrete terms what you have done and what the school is doing tohelp protect its students.

In 2007, a nationwide survey of students in grades 9-12 reported thefollowing risk behaviors:• 5.9% of students carried a weapon (e.g., a gun, knife, or club) on schoolproperty during the 30 days before the survey.• 7.8% of students were threatened or injured with a weapon on schoolproperty during the 12 months before the survey.• 12.4% of students were in a physical fight on school property during the12 months before the survey.• 22.3% of students were offered, sold, or given an illegal drug by someoneon school property during the 12 months before the survey.

Nation Wide Survey

StatisticsIn 2010 U.S. Spent $12 billion on troubled children and youth.More than 160,000 children skip school every day because they feel threatened by anotherstudent.Some 46 percent of schools reported at least one student threat of physical attack without aweapon, compared to 8 percent of schools reported such a threat with a weapon.Some 10 percent of city schools reported at least one gang-related crime,3 a higherpercentage than that reported by suburban (5 percent), town (4 percent), or rural schools(2 percent).During the 2009–10 school year, the rate of violent incidents2 per 1,000 students washigher in middle schools (40 incidents) than in primary schools or high schools (21incidents each).

Sources:Turkem, Ayse. "School Violence:To what extent do Perceptions of Problem Solving Skills Protect Adolescents?." Educational Sciences. 11.1 (2011): 127-132.

Blosnich, john. "Low-Level Violence in Schools:Is There an Assocation Between School Saftey Measures and Peer victimization?." Journal of School Health. 81.2 (2011): 107-113.

Johnson, sarah. "Improving the Enviroment to Reduce School Violence:A Review of the Literature." Journal of School Health. 79.10 (2009): 451-465.

Grunseit, Anne. "Correlates of of phyical violence at school:A multilevel analysis of Australian high school students." Australian journal of social issues. 43.4 (2008): 527-545.

Sources:

Akiba, Motoko. "Academic differentition,school achievement and school violence in the USA and south korea." Dept. of educatiol leadership. 37 .2 (2007): 201-219.

Delucla, janice. "Predicting school violence: comparison of violent and nonviolent male students on attitudes toward violence,exposure level to violence,and and ptsd symptomatology." Phychology in the schools. 43.5 (2006): 591-598.

By: Jordan Deckard