A state voter proposition concerning gun regulation motivated a local far-right political group to organize a pro-gun rally on campus. Overriding the safety and security concerns of faculty and students, freedom of speech rights required that the group be allowed to assemble on campus. The case explores interactions among administration, faculty,…

Several studies have shown that the need to create safe and orderly schools has increasingly been addressed in a manner that disconnects these priorities from broader concerns related to student success, school culture, and child development. In this paper, we explore the consequences of expanding security procedures in response to an incident…

The number of school police officers, School Resource Officers (SROs), is increasing on school campuses to assist in preventing school violence, and in particular bullying. This mixed-methods study was conducted to compare the knowledge and perceptions of SROs (N = 184) hired by independent school districts (ISD SROs) and those contracted from law…

Reactive measures such as metal detectors, I.D. badges, and zero-tolerance policies can reduce violence, but cultivating order is more effective than imposing it. Building a respectful, caring learning environment by enhancing students' sense of belonging, implementing a comprehensive character-education program, and teaching conflict-resolution…

Peer mediation is one of hundreds of programs schools are using to enhance security or prevent violence. The Winning Against Violent Environments (WAVE) conflict-resolution program in Cleveland, Ohio, is one of the oldest in the country. Lists seven sources of information. (MLF)

Identifies principles of violence prevention derived from the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP), which operates in schools throughout North America. Focuses on societal changes, appropriate responses to these changes, and examples of ineffectual punishment. Describes RCCP, offers an evaluation of the program, and charts a course for the…

The author describes a peacemaking course taught to school personnel in New York City. It involves a case study in which the teacher or school official provokes a violent incident. The author examines nine major errors committed by the official in the case study and how the errors could have been corrected/avoided. (CT)

In response to recent school violence, schools are turning to conflict resolution training. The goal of such programs is to help students control their anger before anyone raises a fist or weapon. The article examines conflict resolution programs which involve teacher training, student mediators, and classroom curriculum. (SM)

Violence-prevention measures at railroad crossings may not work at schools! This special issue highlights three approaches to dealing with youth violence: prevention (peace building); intervention (peace making); and security (peace keeping). The problem stems from incivility, lack of respect, and unconstructive communication. Diverse perspectives…

This document presents an effective way to view, select, and integrate school safety policies and programs. It offers a typology of school safety approaches, examines within the context of this typology a broad range of current policies and practices to prevent or manage violence, and provides a set of prompting questions for each of the three…

Since June 1999, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Secret Service have been working as a team to better understand--and ultimately help prevent--school shootings in America. Findings indicated that incidents of targeted violence in school were rarely impulsive; that the students who perpetrated attacks usually planned them out in…

Teachers and administrators need to know some general guidelines for breaking up conflicts involving students who are out of control and fighting. Every school should have a clearly communicated student behavior code and have guidelines and procedures to handle emergencies. (MLF)

In 1997, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation requiring local school boards to conduct school safety audits for each school under their jurisdiction. Guidelines for helping educators conduct these audits are presented here. This guide is designed to help administrators chart an informed, responsible, and proactive course toward…

The incidence of school violence has increased in recent years. In response to the escalation, Deborah Prothrow-Stith developed a violence prevention curriculum to be taught in high schools; it has also been used in middle schools. The first section of this journal issue's report, "Confronting an Epidemic" offers details of Prothrow-Stith's…

This paper presents findings of a study that examined the effects of a violence-prevention program on students' acquisition of knowledge about violence. The violence-prevention program, an adaptation of the Prothrow-Stith (1987) curriculum model, was implemented in seventh-grade health-education classes in a rural Mississippi River-delta…