The fear of school violence drives "defensive" schooling policies, and it is not unlike the fear that currently supports aggressive foreign policies that sanction drone strikes and the incarceration of suspected terrorists. However, the current measures taken for defense against terrorism are not working, and the same types of…

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…

The aim of the study was to investigate the mediating effect of school safety and school connectedness on the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among boys and girls facing terror. A cross-sectional research design using a nationwide random sample of 609 (54% girls) 9th (25%), 10th (26%), 11th (24%),…

Since the introduction of the Prevent duty across the UK, schools have had to balance the need to fulfil their responsibilities under the duty -- often understood to include monitoring and surveillance -- with their ultimate purpose to educate their students. This positions teachers within a particular set of tensions about their own beliefs about…

In this article, the author presents a debate discussing whether writing has nothing or everything to do with campus terrorism. Writing gives teachers a powerful tool to identify malfeasants and lunatics. Members of these groups have a need to disclose, to share their twisted thoughts as if to persuade people of their rationality. On the other…

This research examined news reports in order to identify incidents that precipitated dress code revisions. News reports were examined within the framework of rules for civil behavior. Using key words "school dress codes" and "violence," LEXIS/NEXIS was used to access 104 articles from 44 U.S. newspapers from December 3, 2004 to December 2, 2005.…

In this post 9/11 era Western cultures are focusing on values that support war and violence. In this article an ethnographer explores the impact of these values on schools. These values, seen through the lens of restorative justice, include: (a) punishment, (b) adversarial relationships, (c) monopolization of power, (d) problemization and…

Adolescents possess numerous strengths and vulnerabilities based on their unique stage of development. When youth experience a disaster, whether natural or human-caused, there are certain considerations to be taken into account when providing them with support. This article describes common adolescent reactions to the impact phase of disasters as…

This article discusses a 52-hour hostage standoff at a school in southern Russia, which resulted in the deaths of more than 330 people, about half of them children. The horrific incident underscored the vulnerability of schools around the world, where the scope of security varies greatly. It has also prompted administrators to reevaluate the…

Explores the response of school mental health to terrorism and disaster, reviewing literature on child and adult reactions to trauma, discussing the development of crisis response teams, and presenting strategies for schools to respond to crises and disaster. One elementary school's experiences in response to the September 11th attacks are…

A few weeks before the fifth anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings on April 20, 1999, Principal Frank DeAngelis reflects on how his school has changed over the past five years. Much like the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States, "Columbine" carries a chilling meaning that resonates across the…

This article focuses on the three kinds of school safety: (1) physical; (2) emotional; and (3) intellectual, and details how to determine if a school is safe. Excellence in schools demands that schools be physically, emotionally, and intellectually safe for students, while "good enough" schools are simply physically safe. Here, the…

This book is a guide for teachers, counselors, administrators, and other helping professionals. The focus of the book is to provide an innovative approach to education that develops students' spirit, purpose, and potential. The author shows educators how to: create inviting schools that foster maximum student success; turn classrooms into life…