The purpose of this study was to examine if school safety and security can be maximized without reducing student rights and freedoms. A review of school violence literature supports the early research on how schools should respond to school violence. An analysis of court cases that have arisen from legislative and school responses to school…

The emphasis in school discipline has shifted from a prevention and correction model to a reactive and punitive model in recent years. This major shift has occurred in response to fears among legislators and the public who are under the impression that school violence has increased. As a result, crisis response teams have been created and a zero…

In May 2007, 15-year-old Jordan Manners was shot and killed in the hallway of his Toronto school. In June 2007, the Toronto District School Board commissioned an investigation into school safety, which resulted in a report entitled "The Road to Health: A Final Report on School Safety." In February 2008, in an attempt to provoke…

In his provocatively titled recent book, "The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't", Robert I. Sutton argues for zero tolerance of "bullies, creeps, jerks, weasels, tormentors, tyrants, serial slammers, despots, [and] unconstrained egomaniacs" in the workplace. These individuals systematically prey on their…

Students report that teachers bully them, but a review of the literature indicates that little attention has been given to teacher-to-student bullying. This study used a mixed-methods approach to investigate elementary teachers' perceptions of seriousness and their intent to intervene in teacher bullying incidents. Results indicated that teachers…

Unsupported fears of youth violence in schools has led to an expansion of school-based policing and zero tolerance discipline. The historical reality is that America's public schools are very safe, even when located in high crime neighborhoods. Yet, school discipline is becoming increasingly punitive, moving from the schoolhouse to the courthouse.…

Background: Federal zero-tolerance policies require the exclusion of students exhibiting violent behaviors, with the intent of maintaining a safe school environment for other students to learn. In California, legislation has been passed that provides for the placement of expelled students in community day schools (CDSs). Purpose: This study…

A random sample of 213 school psychologists working in a school setting completed a survey on their schools' current anti-bullying practices. Talking with bullies following bullying incidents, disciplinary consequences for bullies, and increasing adult supervision were the three most frequently used strategies. Peer juries/court, an anti-bullying…

At Wentworth, rule violations are normally minor in nature and handled at the private school administration's discretion. A recent event involving the possession and use of alcohol during an off-campus school overnight activity leads to the development of a zero tolerance substance abuse policy. The zero tolerance policy is tested by one of the…

For the past 15 years, zero-tolerance policies for violence in schools have been the driving force behind many school discipline policies around the country. But the disciplinary landscape is starting to change in a growing number of schools, especially those in urban districts, where administrators have taken their cues from high-profile reports…

The Stoneleigh Foundation of Philadelphia has historically focused its strategic investments on improving outcomes for youth involved or at risk of involvement in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Stoneleigh began its support for youth courts by providing a fellowship award from 2009 to 2011 to public interest lawyer Gregory Volz to…

Safe school policies in many urban schools in Ontario have featured security guards, electronic surveillance, student identification tags, discipline, and zero tolerance. In 2000, the Ontario Ministry of Education passed the Safe Schools Act, which set out a list of offences that could trigger expulsion, suspension, and other disciplinary…

In an effort to understand how schools are coping with incidents of peer victimization, this study explored the types of related interventions currently being offered by public schools in Northern California. School psychologists' perceptions of the importance of the available interventions were also examined (N = 96). The interventions reported…

Student discipline is an ongoing challenge for school administrators, and its importance has been magnified as accountability reporting and public concerns for school safety have come into play. School personnel are expected to maintain a safe school environment that focuses on student learning. Disciplinary interventions should be…

Though elementary and secondary schools remain among the safest places for children, school safety concerns continue to garner considerable attention from school and community stakeholders, as well as policymakers. As affirmed in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), it is clear that all children need a safe environment in which to learn…