School Safety Sources for your Essay

Impact of School Culture on School Safety


Reportedly, the tragic events at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado and its aftermath have focused our national attention on this pressing and puzzling issue. Many students and parents are frightened now, and teachers and principals are experiencing the same feelings of fear and frustration as they search their minds for things that they might have missed and that might have prevented the violence that shocked the country (Rimbach, 2000; Clayton & Gordon, 1999)

Impact of School Culture on School Safety


Many students feel that the surveillance is too intrusive, and that students who haven't done anything wrong are being scrutinized too closely. There are also concerns that punishments are too harsh, too many things are banned from schools because they could be used as weapons, and there is too much of a reminder that the school is unsafe when guards are walking the halls (Seidman, et al

Impact of School Culture on School Safety


Places - Physical Aspect of the School Careful attention is given to the physical environment of the school, including seeing that there is adequate lighting, well-maintained buildings and grounds, clean rest rooms, attractive classrooms and cafeterias, and displays celebrating student abilities and accomplishments. Ways are found to enhance the physical environment of the school and make the students more comfortable, no matter how old the building (Suarez, 1999)

Impact of School Culture on School Safety


The inclusion of all students has challenged the ability of schools to meet the needs of all students. The diversity of student populations with problem behaviors poses the largest threat to the safety and success of the public school (Todd, Horner, Sugai, & Colvin, 1999)

Impact of School Culture on School Safety


The process of change, however, is a slow one, and the answers to the problems are not simple. This does not mean that finding a solution should be abandoned, but only that it is a time consuming and important task (Weishew & Peng, 1993)

Impact of School Culture on School Safety


That does not mean that they should stop trying to find this balance, however. The importance of continued work in this area is evidenced by the results that are seen when this balance is achieved, or at least when the balance is close to where it should be (Wigfield, et al

Impact of School Culture on School Safety


The importance of school culture and its importance in creating effective schools is well documented in Edmonds (1979), Sizer (1984), Hersh (2000) and others. All of these studies indicate that the culture of a school is a significant factor in how much safety the school enjoys and whether the students in that particular school are being effectively taught what they need to know to make their way in the world once their schooling has been completed (Willen, 1994)

Impact of School Culture on School Safety


It can not be assumed that all students will conform to the rules that have been set forth by the principal, teachers, and others with the authority to do so, but it can be expected that those who break the rules have been made aware of what the consequences would be. It is very important that all students know the punishments for various infractions, just as it is important for them to be aware of all of the rules and regulations that are often included in handbooks that are provided to students and parents (Young & Fraser, 1994)

School Safety and Security Plans


446). Two states already recognize the importance of improving communication among staff and students related to student-on-student violence included in their school safety plans (Limber & Small)

School Safety and Security Plans


Moreover, while the majority of recent school shootings have taken place in high schools and colleges, even elementary schools are not immune to school shootings. For instance, in 2000, first-grade pupil in a Flint, Michigan elementary school shot and killed a 6-year-old classmate (Liu, 2000)

School Safety and Security Plans


S. Secret Service, have been assigned to school districts across the country to help identify opportunities for improvement and to address security concerns by installing high tech equipment, including closed circuit cameras and metal detectors (Singer, 2001)

Sandy Hook Case on Public School Safety


All the same, schools must always realize that they aren't immune. A survey that involved 228 psychologists at schools reported that 93% respondents spoke of their schools experiencing a severe crisis at one point or other (Adamson & Peacock, 2007)

Sandy Hook Case on Public School Safety


In general, the fact that Connecticut Governor Malloy assigned one or more state troopers to be with each family has been praised, and acknowledged as being both kind and professional. On the contrary, many felt that the 'town' of Newton, Connecticut, where the Sandy Hook Elementary School is located, was less professional in how they kept in communication with the families (Altimari, 2014)

Sandy Hook Case on Public School Safety


The Educational Activities Done To Inform and Support the Student Population Despite splashy news headlines, and regardless of what many may think, extreme violence in schools has not significantly increased over time. Some studies suggest that any particular school can, once every 6000 years, expect a homicide on its premises (Borum et al

Sandy Hook Case on Public School Safety


However, despite an awareness of the potential risk, most emphasis has remained on physical safety and security, with a rapidly rising introduction of surveillance cameras and metal detectors in the nation's schools. The potential role played by bullying in instigating these student-initiated acts of violence has, according to some, only been afforded a cursory glance (Cowan & Rossen, 2014)

Sandy Hook Case on Public School Safety


The administration, as key player in monitoring potential violence, now shifted this burden to the school staff as a whole, even enrolling the students in an anti-violence awareness program. The principal and administrative team worked to enforce laws for violent students in the school (Lysiak, 2013)

Sandy Hook Case on Public School Safety


The majority of the murdered victims were young children, and the assault was brutal, seemingly random, and without provocation. These factors fueled fear, confusion and anger all over America (Rosenberg, 2014)

Sandy Hook Case on Public School Safety


22 Marlin rifle were found in his home. The Marlin rifle was the weapon with which he shot his mother four times in the head before heading to the elementary school (Shermer, 2013)

Sandy Hook Case on Public School Safety


Similarly, despite initial confused reports that Lanza's mother worked at the school and he was 'jealous', this turned out not to be the case, and the connection of Adam Lanza to the school was tenuous at best. The sad pictures of innocent schoolchildren have bystanders across the country bewildered and frightened for their own children, their own friends and neighbors, as there is no knowing what or whom will cause such an unexplainable massacre (The Nation, 2013)