Today we are living in an era of two pandemics--the COVID-19 global health pandemic and the racial inequity pandemic--and at the same time, anxiety over school shootings is increasing. When assessing school-based threats of violence, equitable procedures and protocols are needed to guide decision-making and ensure that high-level interventions are…

Public school trauma responses to school shootings in the USA would benefit from a greater focus on trauma intervention in the aftermath of a shooting. The current research explored school staff attitudes toward public school trauma response after school shootings. This phenomenological study was conducted with 12 public school staff members with…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of preschool teachers regarding crisis preparedness in independently funded childcare centers. This study was based on the integrated model of school crisis preparedness and intervention proposed by Jimerson, Brock, and Pletcher. This study examined how preschool teachers describe the…

Drawing on data from a larger feminist study that explored how secondary English teacher candidates responded to a sexual trauma text set and pedagogy for teaching such narratives with Canadian adolescents, this paper examines how caretaker discourses emerged in response to these stories and learning. This especially manifested as emerging teacher…

Trauma is just a word. It doesn't have to be a life sentence, argue education experts Kristin Souers and Pete Hall. They also explain what a "culture of safety" is in schools and how educators can create one for students living with trauma.

The United States has recently experienced numerous large-scale crises that resulted in high death tolls and extensive property damage. Critical incidents such as suicide contagion, natural disasters, or mass casualty events have the potential to cause traumatic reactions and significantly affect children's sense of safety and security. School…

The fundamental need for safety in schools requires research-based and trauma-informed strategies for implementing crisis management plans (CMPs). Beyond the immediate harm, longer-term potential outcomes of crises are psychological trauma and damage to the reputation for safety of the school, leading to staff attrition. An effective CMP involves…

To resist hegemonic campus sexual violence research trends rooted in postpositivist paradigms, I advocate for the centering of healing in research, particularly in the research methodologies that scholars employ. In this article, I invite researchers to (re)consider the purpose of research as a process that actively prioritizes and promotes…

As schools continue to transition from pandemic-induced disruption to a new normal, educators must realize that the most vulnerable students are the ones who've been harmed the most. The problem is, because trauma and mental health distress aren't immediately visible, educators won't know "which" students are in a quiet state of…

It is being increasingly recognized that providing human trafficking education (HTE) in schools is an effective prevention tool. Yet, the strategies that may be utilized in delivering these programs have not been fully established. The purpose of this paper is two fold. First, the paper discusses the importance of providing human trafficking…

This document provides recommendations of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) regarding the use of seclusion in schools. It updates the CCBD's position on this topic first published in 2009 and includes (a) key definitions, (b) a summary of problems with the use of seclusion, (c) strategies to eliminate the use of seclusion,…

If leaders want to support and retain--not just hire--Black educators, they must understand what it means to be a Black educator now. El-Mekki, a veteran educator and founder of the Center for Black Educator Development, shares realities Black teachers face, from the fact that schools don't always feel safe to them to the responsibility they feel…

This systematic review synthesizes research on school-based crisis intervention protocols, descriptions, and evaluations. We performed a comprehensive literature search, and 60 studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. We found an overwhelming lack of evaluation studies (n = 3), suggesting that interventions are being administered…

It is very important that schools be careful not to scare children about a place where they should feel safe. Thus, it is imperative that any active shooter drill be preceded by extensive education and preparation. Drills should be carefully planned by local police and the school crisis team, and school psychologists' involvement is critical.…

When schools closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many wondered, "When are we getting back to normal?" A few weeks later, the question changed to, "Will we get back to normal?" And now, many are realizing the old normal won't be back, at least not anytime soon. Still, educators will eventually return to their campuses,…