When recess is well-planned out, carefully taught, and expectations are clear, it is a time that can have a multitude of benefits for students. On the contrary, recess time can also be a breeding ground for bullying, name-calling, and aggressive behaviours, which can have detrimental effects on our youth. It is crucial that we recognize the true…

The increase in hostile behavior targeted at Asian people is a concern that school districts must address. To respond well, educators need to apply effective methods for preventing this problem. One of the ways they can achieve this goal is by implementing a culturally responsive approach to teaching. Another involves using effective anti-bullying…

School shootings are at an all-time high. That's according to the National Center for Education Statistics, which has been keeping track of the numbers for about 20 years. What are schools to do? Is there a "profile" of the typical school shooter that could help us identify those who might commit a shooting in the future? Is there some…

The pattern is familiar and frequent. The day following one of the chilling reports about a school shooting, Kristina Dooley's conversations with clients about college usually change at Estrela Consulting in Hudson, Ohio. The worries of the students and their parents bubble up. Rick Funk says his staff see a similar phenomenon among prospective…

Today, pedagogical stakes are high for students who experience incidents connected to their safety and privacy. Unfortunately, students live in an age when Code Red drills, or the more current Active Shooter drills, are a fact of life. In this article, the author argues that dystopian texts are not only positioned to enhance the complexity of…

Although recent events have many concerned about school violence, schools are safer today than in years past. Nevertheless, one act of violence is one too many, and schools need to be ready to implement protocols and procedures, such as behavior threat assessment and management (BTAM), that prevent and mitigate school violence. In the wake of…

Up to two-thirds of U.S. children have experienced at least one type of serious childhood trauma, such as abuse, neglect, natural disaster, or experiencing or witnessing violence. Trauma is possibly the largest public health issue facing our children today (CDC, 2019). Traumatized students are especially prone to difficulty in self-regulation,…

In the fall of 2017, the University of Florida (UF) and the city of Gainesville were part of a coda to a terrible event in recent U.S. history: the violent torch-wielding rally of white supremacists and extreme far-right groups in the college town of Charlottesville, Virginia, that left three people dead and at least 33 injured. These events…

Gang affiliation is not something that students leave behind when they come to school. Gang members do not leave their behaviors, attitudes, and conflicts outside the school environment. Gangs, unchecked and unidentified in a school setting, often engage in threat and intimidation; physical and cyber bullying; fighting; recruiting; and criminal…

This case details the challenges faced by various members of a 4-year university regarding Kathryn, a non-traditional transfer student and military veteran who recently returned from a traumatic deployment in Afghanistan. Precisely, this study identifies ambiguities pertaining to (a) threat assessment, (b) university weapons policies, (c) transfer…

The problem of campus stalking requires uniting several departments to develop a response plan reflective of the comprehensive nature of campus stalking. This article highlights how research on stalking, stalking theories, and related environmental theories support the formation of a cross-functional team to develop a multifaceted response to this…

The need to maintain an unpolluted learning environment is no easy task for schools and districts that have incorporated social networking sites into their educational life. The staff and teachers at Blaine High School in Minnesota's Anoka-Hennepin District 11 had been considering the pros and cons of establishing a school Facebook page when the…

Creating safe and supportive schools that are free from bullying, discrimination, harassment, aggression, violence, and abuse is essential to this mission. Bullying among school-age youth is a particularly serious, insidious, and pervasive problem that undermines the teaching and learning environment, increases mental health and behavior problems,…

After a tragic event, suicide, or violent act of revenge that occurs as a result of frequent bullying, the public is outraged at school employees who they think did nothing to prevent it. The public asks the obvious questions: How come nobody cared enough to do something to stop it? How could the staff be so heartless and callous? Where were the…

Rapid advances in digital technologies have resulted in school professionals having to grapple with new and complex dilemmas related to balancing student privacy, safety, and legal rights and restrictions, often with little to no guidance from school or district policies. Students commonly bring cellular telephones, smartphones, iPods, and other…