Following a wave of racial justice activism during the summer of 2020, nearly 40 school districts passed resolutions ending the use of law enforcement in schools. In such districts, school superintendents then faced the challenge of implementing these "police-free schools' resolutions," while sometimes encountering strong resistance,…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "School Safety." Contents include: (1) Students Demand Safe, Supportive Schools:…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Strengthening School Safety." Contents include: (1) The Facts about…

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 school-to-prison pipeline (STPP) describes in shorthand the problematic relationship between some students' school experiences and their subsequent incarceration. One summer, in response to vocal concerned parents, a suburban school board adopted a zero-tolerance policy for smoking and vaping. Through the combined effects of the zero-tolerance…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Fair Discipline." Contents include: (1) At What Cost? A Review of School Police…

The purpose of "Theory of College Student Development" is to provide readers with new theoretical knowledge or a reminder of the foundational and evolving theories that professionals can utilize for understanding and making sense of students' behavior. Its primary focus is on the integration of knowledge, skills, and application of such…

After a period of decline, gang membership and gang activity are on the increase in the United States. Recent Department of Justice figures indicate that there are currently over 26,000 gangs involving over 800,000 members active in virtually every community in the nation. No longer territorial, gang activity extends from the most impoverished and…

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…

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)

Several years ago the police department of Waterford, Connecticut and the local school administration viewed with great alarm the increasing tendency of school age youth to mistrust and misunderstand the criminal justice system. A program entitled "Freedom and the Law" was developed in response to this concern. The project was designed…

This publication results from on ongoing collaboration between the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education. Its goals are to determine whether it could have been known that incidents of targeted violence at schools were being planned and whether anything could have been done to prevent them from occurring. Results from the Secret…

Argues that the concept of justice offers many opportunities for creative teaching. Observes that historical and contemporary examples can help students understand the relationship among justice, power, and law. Suggests role playing and the study of legal symbols as means of helping students learn to comprehend legal concepts. (SG)

Law-related education's (LRE) use of community resources in general, and law enforcement professionals in particular, is what brings the law to life in the classroom. This handbook offers practical ideas for establishing partnerships to improve the quality of LRE in the classroom. Involving police and law enforcement officers in the classroom…

This document is an assessment of the effectiveness of the Policy/School Liaison Program (PSLP), which began in 1982. PSLP offered 11th and 12th graders a one-semester, law-related education course. The 1985-86 PSLP was designed to expand the program and to develop materials necessary to expedite program institutionalization. A curriculum manual…