27 school shootings have taken place so far this year
Last week was hard, and I hope everyone is taking care.
Tuesday's violence also follows a familiar pattern of previous school shootings.
After everyone, there's been a tendency to ask, "How do we prevent the next one?"
School safety researchers support tightening age limits for gun ownership, from 18 to 21. They say 18 years old is too young to be able to buy a gun; the teenage brain is just too impulsive. And they point out that the school shooters in Parkland, Santa Fe, Newtown, Columbine, and Uvalde were all under 21.
Schools can support the social and emotional needs of students
"Our first preventative strategy should be to make sure kids are respected, that they feel connected and belong in schools,"
√ says Odis Johnson Jr., of Johns Hopkins University's Center for Safe and Healthy Schools.
That means building kids' skills around conflict resolution, stress management and empathy for their fellow classmates
That means building kids' skills around conflict resolution, stress management and empathy for their fellow classmates
√ skills that can help reduce all sorts of unwanted behaviors, including fighting and bullying.
In its report, the Secret Service found most of the school attackers they studied had been bullied. And while we are still learning about what happened in Uvalde, early reports suggest the shooter there was a regular target of bullying.
In its report, the Secret Service found most of the school attackers they studied had been bullied. And while we are still learning about what happened in Uvalde, early reports suggest the shooter there was a regular target of bullying.
Jackie Nowicki has led multiple school safety investigations at the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
She and her team have identified some things schools can do to make their classrooms and hallways feel safer including :
« anti-bullying training for staff and teachers »
« Constantly adult supervision »
« Installing of hall monitors, and mechanisms to anonymously report hostile behaviors »
The Secret Service recommends schools implement a threat assessment model
Where trained staff
« including an administrator, a school counselor, a psychologist, and a law enforcement representative as well »
work together to identify and support students in crisis before they hurt others.
There's money to help schools pay for all this
Because of pandemic federal aid, there's been a big jump in schools' willingness and ability to hire mental health support staff.
According to the White House, with the help of federal COVID relief money, schools have seen a 65% increase in social workers and a 17% increase in counselors.
| — Jeffery Pierre, Engagement Editor, NPR Ed |
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