The School Discipline Climate Survey provides information about current levels of staff expectation and satisfaction for each of 13 subscales (attendance policies, discipline policies, staff training, communication, efficiency, parent support, due process/consistency, safe environment, discipline teamwork, strategic planning, penalties,…

More U.S. young people have been gunned down during the past 13 years than died in the Vietnamese War. Crimes against juveniles are increasing; also, the intensity of today's youth violence is increasing. Over 3 million crimes (11% of all crimes) occur each year in America's 85,000 public schools. Sources, predictors, and solutions are discussed.…

Unanimous U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld the strip search of a student. Since first case was decided in 1973, no other court has been willing to uphold this highly intrusive search method. Asks why the Sixth Circuit is willing to set aside what has been the concern of the judiciary for the past several decades. (MLF)

During 1990-91, vandals will cost the public schools $250 million. To battle vandalism, school executives are relying on numerous security techniques that police use to foil burglaries, including locks, alarms, electronic security systems, and antivandalism programs. Tips are provided for enlisting others' aid and checking a school's security…

Describes how new intelligent fire and life-safety systems help assure proper functioning through networking with other systems and providing detailed status reports. Considerations for system specifications that match facility functions and risks are discussed. (GR)

Presents a pre-installation checklist to enable Head Start programs to meet guidelines for safe playgrounds established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Includes questions relating to age-appropriateness of equipment, manufacturer's compliance with current safety guidelines, selection of metal or wood play structures, no-encroachment…

In 1995, the Broward County (Florida) Public Schools initiated a safe-school program. The first step was to ensure collection of accurate, consistent, and timely data. This article describes the district's revised data-collection and incident-reporting system, and documents the program's effectiveness in improving safety. (MLH)

To prepare for every imaginable crisis, principals and their staffs should form a schoolwide crisis-management team, conduct an ongoing schoolwide safety audit, develop comprehensive emergency policies and procedures, provide training and information in first aid and behavior management during emergencies, accommodate information sharing, and…

Gives advice on the legal necessity of safety planning for school science (or other) laboratories. Recommends looking into governmental definitions of the term "laboratory" to determine which educational activities should be covered by safety planning. (WRM)

Surveyed undergraduate students nationwide concerning firearm possession. About 3.5% possessed working firearms. Students with guns were more likely to be male, White, or Native American; binge drink; live off-campus; and live with a spouse or significant other. Students with guns were more likely to engage in activities that put themselves and…

Assessed the impact of fear of criminal victimization on juvenile firearm possession at school, controlling for social-bond theory and differential-association theories. Responses from approximately 8,000 high school students show a significant association between fear of criminal victimization and firearms possession. (SLD)

Describes a program undertaken by the New Jersey Education Association in partnership with the National Education Association to make three urban schools safer, the "Schools as Fear-Free Education Zones" (S.A.F.E.). Data are not yet available about program success, but early collaboration appears promising. (SLD)

Schools have a vested interest in involving parents in their children's education. Notes the attitudes of schools toward homosexual parents and students, which keep parents from participating and make parents fear for their children's safety. Parents (gay and straight) discuss their children (gay and straight), describing how all of their lives…

In the April 1999 issue of this journal, Michael Ferraraccio argues that the justifications advanced for using metal detectors in schools are not sufficiently compelling to outweigh students' Fourth Amendment privacy rights. In the accompanying Counterpoint, Robert Johnson cites lower court cases to support the constitutionality of their used on a…

Argues that the English classroom is a fitting place to integrate anti-violence teaching into the academic curriculum. Describes how English teachers can teach conflict resolution strategies, instill respect for cultural diversity, provide an atmosphere for cooperative learning while acknowledging controversy, and heighten empathy and respect by…