As the infrastructure of police surveillance grows in public schools, communities must be prepared to safeguard the rights and freedoms of students and families. This report is designed to help youth justice advocates, youth leaders, educators, caregivers, and policymakers understand and challenge the impact of school surveillance, data…

While institutions of higher education (IHEs) encourage freedom of expression, critical thinking, and the dynamic exchange of ideas, they have also historically been the setting for social and political demonstrations. It is important for university leaders to collaborate closely with safety, security, and emergency management partners. This fact…

Schools should be spaces where students feel safe and welcome, actively engage with learning, and strive for success. Discipline policies and practices should reinforce these values, particularly safety and belonging. Unfortunately, ineffective discipline practices that punish students harshly and take them away from the classroom -- like…

The number of school resource officers (SROs) is increasing nationwide. Simultaneously, the number of schools adopting schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) is increasing and projected to expand in response to the greater focus of the newly passed Every Student Succeeds Act to improve school climate and safety. Without…

The overarching goal of schools is to create a safe, supportive environment where students can thrive and learn. This begins with a dedication to students' social and emotional well-being, and effective policies and programs that create a culture of trust. Such a culture provides an optimal learning environment, and is also a proactive step…

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…

Developing positive school climates and improving school discipline policies and practices are critical steps to raising academic achievement and supporting student success. However, there is no single formula for doing so. Rather, the growing body of research and best practices in the field should inform locally developed approaches to improving…

Effective planning for campus security requires a coordinated effort by the facility planner and safety and security personnel. Examples at Ohio State University are cited. (MLF)

Outlines 21 actions, both immediate and over the long term, that administrators can take to protect students and schools from terrorist activities. Includes establishing a chain of command, a command post, a crisis response team, a communications staff, and inservice training. (four references) (MLF)

In this article, a youth officer explains how police partnerships with schools benefit educators and students. The article provides advice on how schools can establish effective relationships with their local police officers, situations when it is appropriate to share information and when it is not, knowing what questions cannot be asked and what…

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)

Increasingly, schools are hiring personnel dedicated exclusively to security duties as part of the district's school-safety plan. The first step is to conduct a full assessment of a district's current security operation and specific security needs. Security personnel should be under the direction of a trained and experienced security professional.…

As administrators contemplate installing metal detectors, different legal issues must be considered. Five lessons learned from past litigation are listed to aid administrators in their decision. A sample policy outline concerning weapons and metal detectors is provided. (KDP)

Summoning police officers to help investigate the report of an armed student is the prudent and safe thing for school officials to do. Police officers receive extensive training in dealing with armed subjects. School staff training should include all staff members and should provide information about where to report, how to report, and to whom.…

The goal of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Program is to prevent drug abuse among school children, by targeting children at an age (K-6) when they are most receptive to drug prevention education and before they are likely to have been led by their peers to experiment with tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. Project DARE seeks to prevent…