In middle schools, teachers and administrators talk quite a lot about changing school climate. Because the age is a difficult one, the adult vision of change can vary: a school without bullies, without homophobia or sexism or racism, a school in which students take the lead, a school which functions as a genuine community. This is important…

Collaborations between law enforcement agencies and elementary and secondary schools focus on the provision of education to students, the safety and security of school property, and public relations efforts aimed at changing youths' attitudes toward the police both inside and outside of schools. The use of police officers in school settings…

This study uses latent class analysis (LCA) to empirically identify victimization groups during middle school. Approximately 2,000 urban, public middle school students (mean age in sixth grade = 11.57) reported on their peer victimization during the Fall and Spring semesters of their sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Independent LCA analyses at…

The present study examined how public school administrators negotiate discipline policies that are intended to protect the common good and the educational rights of students with disabilities. We investigated the political nature of these decisions and the strategies used in reaching them through interviews with administrators in 9 public high…

Virtually no school is safe from violence. FBI statistics, which show that juvenile crimes actually peaked during the mid-1970s, are at odds with the public perception that crime rates among young people are at an all-time high. The FBI acknowledges, however, that the crimes committed by young people tend to be more serious than in the past, and…

This monograph presents papers and dialogue group highlights from a symposium on the growing challenge of school aggression and violence, strategies to combat this aggression and violence, and ways to make schools safe again. An introductory paper by Cynthia L. Warger is titled "Responding to School Violence within an Educational Framework."…

Every day, school-aged children encounter a wide variety of hazards that occur both outside and inside schools. This document presents findings of a report that examined the scientific data on the risks for student injury and illness in the school environment. The information is designed to help administrators set priorities for reducing risks to…

This book provides information about health and safety hazards in art classrooms. The book outlines a practical plan for an art room safety program. It includes recommendations for providing protective equipment and enlisting students' active participation. Included are sample worksheets and checklists, explanations of legal liability, and…

"The New Zealand Playground Safety Manual" was designed for early childhood services, primary and intermediate schools, and park administrators. The manual was developed with the input of practitioners who attended seminars held throughout New Zealand and who reviewed all segments of the manual. Part 1 of the manual presents five steps…

Teachers at an urban high school in New Brunswick (Canada) were reluctant to begin an intervention program directed at student anger and violence until they had gained input from the students themselves. A survey was conducted of the students' experience with violence and their opinions about how to address the problem. Participants were 769 (395…

This handbook presents guidelines and the rationale for creating a school violence committee. The committee is composed of Washington Education Association (WEA) members and addresses issues related to school safety. The committee defines the problem, sets goals for reaching solutions, and implements an action plan. Members may also review…

Some researchers and practitioners believe that schools can play a leading role in preventing violence among youth. This document offers a framework for collaboration that moves from simply recognizing the problem to preparing youth to live peaceably in a diverse community. The "Creating a Peaceable School" program is based on the premise that…

Findings of a study conducted by the North Carolina Governor's Task Force on School Violence are presented in this report. A survey of 129 school systems yielded a 100 percent response rate. The data collected indicate that levels of violence increased in 59% of the state's public schools over the past 5 years. A total of 14 Task Force…

This report presents statistics on teachers' perspectives of issues related to safety, discipline, and drug use prevention in public elementary and secondary schools, resulting from a national survey of public school teachers (N=1,350) who responded to questions concerning the extent of discipline problems within schools and the nature and…

Proceedings of a hearing concerning the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) administration of the Asbestos in School Program are presented in this report. Specifically, the hearing's purpose was to examine the EPA's progress in implementing the Asbestos Hazardous Emergency Response Act (AHERA), wherein the agency was responsible for…