Reconsidering School Safety Measures

This article was initially published following the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, which sparked numerous calls for schools to increase security, including arming teachers. However, substantial research suggests that adding more guns does not enhance school safety.

Expert Collaboration

After the tragic event at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Professor Matthew Mayer from Rutgers Graduate School of Education joined forces with Professor Shane Jimerson from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Both are specialists in studying school violence. Their collaboration resulted in an eight-point plan to prevent gun violence in the U.S.

This initiative gathered support from approximately 200 universities, various educational and mental health organizations, school districts, and more than 2,300 individual experts. The plan’s primary message was clear: improve social and emotional health to soften schools, instead of turning them into fortified zones.

The Public Health Approach

Ron Avi Astor from the University of Southern California, who also contributed to the plan, advocates for a public health perspective. This approach encourages proactive community engagement through resources aimed at preventing emergencies before they occur.

The experts emphasize removing guns, a key ‘environmental hazard’ linked to violence.

The plan proposes universal background checks, an assault-style weapons ban, and Gun Violence Protection Orders, which allow police to confiscate guns when a threat is imminent.

Long-Term Solutions Over Quick Fixes

Mayer warns against relying solely on surface-level security measures, like armed officers or metal detectors, which do not address the root causes of violence. He stresses the importance of creating a comprehensive, preventative approach.

Focus on School Climate

School climate reflects the quality of relationships within a school and affects students’ mental health and academic success. Research highlights key safety factors: promoting social and emotional health, connecting with community resources, and supporting struggling students.

Studies show that children who bring weapons to school often report bullying, gang violence fears, or being socially ostracized. Therefore, addressing bullying, discrimination, and harassment can reduce conflict escalation.

Evidence supports the effectiveness of school climate improvements; bullying and harassment have decreased, partly due to social and emotional programs, according to Catherine Bradshaw from the University of Virginia.

The Role of Witnesses

Improving school climate also addresses violence by enhancing the role of witnesses. In California, surveys indicate that over 500,000 students witness weapons on school grounds annually, with about 125,000 threatened or injured.

Witnesses are more likely to report threats when connected with adults, counteracting the ‘no snitching culture’ prevalent in many schools. Astor advocates for educational interventions rather than punitive measures.

Addressing Suicide Threats

Preventive measures also focus on suicide, a significant cause of youth mortality, as weapons brought to school may aim at self-harm.

The experts’ policy plan covers nationwide school climate assessments, reducing suspensions, maintaining safe schools, and increasing professional staff such as counselors and social workers.

Emergency Mode: Threat Assessment

The public health strategy includes an emergency protocol called ‘threat assessment.’ Developed from post-Columbine insights from the FBI and Secret Service, this approach lacks a shooter profile but ensures pre-emptive intervention.

Virginia mandates school threat assessments, leading teams to evaluate potential threats and communicate with relevant parties. Positive results include reduced suspensions and bullying, increased safety perceptions, and willingness to report threats.

While not flawless — as evident in the Parkland shooting — Dewey Cornell from the University of Virginia affirms its effectiveness where properly executed.

The researchers hope this call to action resonates more than past appeals following previous shootings, aiming for substantial attention this time.