School Violence and Profiles

The tragedy of wanton murder, violence and destruction at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado again results in questions that scream at us on television, radio and in the newspapers. "Why did it happen?" "How can it be prevented?"

Parents of school age children, teachers, school board members and school administrators, psychologists and psychiatrists, police and other local officials are expressing their grief and concern for the safety and security of their students, teachers and loved ones while they are on school property. They and others are expressing their desperateness for a solution or are giving their own answers to the problem of violence in the schools.

Some answers are based on specific agendas e.g. gun control, TV programs with violence, lack of security in the schools. Others describe profiles of potentially violent students that should alert parents, teachers and school administrations to take remedial action. Still others tell of the ineffective administration of school and juvenile justice programs intended to help problem students such as those who committed the murders and harm to the students at Columbine High School.

As the investigations of the murders, bombings and shootings at Columbine High School continue, I believe there will be revelations of incidents, activities, environments and conditions that cause reasonable people to conclude that those acts of violence and extreme anti-social behavior by the murderers and any accomplices were evident sometime before it happened.

If so, people will ask, "Why then weren't appropriate actions or measures taken to prevent this disaster?" Hopefully, the result will be reasoned and studied policies, guidelines and programs in school districts throughout the country that provide the answers. Such policies, guidelines and programs must: 

• Identify and describe for the parents and guardians of students, schoolteachers and administrators their basic responsibilities to ensure a safe and secure environment for their students and themselves.

• Provide training on methods and procedures for teachers and school counselors that enables them to intelligently and compassionately work with students who have disciplinary problems, including anti-social conduct.

• Direct students to alternative educational or social help programs when they continually exceed bounds of acceptable behavior that could affect the safety and security of others in the school. This course of action should also apply when parents or guardians fail to support or comply with justifiable disciplinary action by school authorities.

• Develop an assessment of existing and foreseeable
  threats to students, faculty and the facilities. Provide security measures, resources and procedures appropriate to the public safety considerations for the school, its students and other authorized persons present on the facility. Utilize professional resources. Do not rely solely on recommendations by vendors or others with vested interests in equipment sales.

• Include crisis, fire and bomb threat plans that meet current concerns and requirements. Meet with local police and fire officials for confirmation of emergency plans and determination of their response time and procedures.

This is a very brief commentary, but I wanted to get these few thoughts and ideas out. I feel strongly that students, teachers and others on school property should have the same protection and sense of safety that they have in their homes. Loss of anyone's life for any reason by actions of criminals, terrorists or political extremists is horrendous and tragic. Parents, school officials, appointed and elected officials and others responsible need to take immediate steps to plan the programs and procedures and take the action required to prevent violence in the schools or to respond rapidly and effectively when it occurs.

Should you find this information helpful, want an expansion on areas related to the subject of prevention of violence in our schools, or have other comments, please submit them and I will do my best to respond. Thank for your interest.