You are here: Home / Archives for School Violence

Staying Away from School Violence

School Day of Non-violence and Peace (DENIP) l...

Image via Wikipedia

Bullying and school violence are on the rampage nowadays. It seems you can’t turn on the news or read a newspaper without hearing a story about a child, or even an adult, involved in violence at school. But it doesn’t have to be this way! There are ways to avoid violence at school. Take a look at these tips to keep yourself or your child out of trouble.

  1. It’s all about respect. Remember that the first step to avoiding violence is to respect other people. Try to understand the other’s perspective and that will go a long way in keeping you out of trouble.
  2. Try online school. Sometimes, a school really is too violent to attend. One way to stay away from the violence is to attend online school. Many college students choose this route. You can even get a master degree this way! Search for a master degree at earnmydegree.com to see the available options.
  3. Talk it out. If you are the victim of violence at school, talk to someone. Find a guidance counselor or someone else you trust to talk to about the problem. Avoiding the situation will not make it go away. You need to talk to someone and get some help.
  4. Report the situation. You absolutely need to report the bullying and the violence to an authority. Violence cannot be tolerated in any kind of circumstance. Report it to help stop the problem.

If you are a victim of school violence or if it is someone you love that is the victim, remember, there is help available.

 

Filed Under: Education, School Violence, Students Tagged With: , ,

It’s Better to be Silent Than Violent

AHS_locked

Image by BillRhodesPhoto via Flickr

Violence can never be justified under any circumstances. There have been examples of wars being won without the use of force. Having said this, it is not an idealistic world that we live in. Violence is a common occurrence. Sometimes it is as dangerous for those who cause it as it for those against whom it is carried out. This holds true in the case of school students who indulge in any form of aggression or antagonism with fellow students. Such cases of violent behavior are highly perilous, as students might inflict fatal injuries on each other.

Students have a duty while in school, but the school also needs to keep the student’s requirements in mind. If, for certain reasons, students are unhappy, they might try and harm school property. School violence might be extended towards the staff and teachers as well. It is mandatory to provide all students with an education through a harmonious existence. Anger management workshops and activities can be encouraged among students and early signs of violent behavior must be nipped in the bud.

Violence is not limited to either a public education system or private education system and can occur in either scenario. In both cases, if it is severe, the students involved may end up facing legal consequences, which they will probably regret throughout their lives. This can also affect the mental health of the students, since they are in their formative years in school and are incapable of dealing with acute stress. This is why all possible means to discourage incidents of school violence must be implemented seriously in all schools.

Filed Under: Education, School Violence Tagged With: , ,

How to Protect Children from School Violence

School violence is becoming very common in many schools. Recent years, there has been dramatic increase in school violence and it is a must for everyone to protect their children from such incidents. The cause for such violence can be anything and most common reasons are frustration, personal problems, depression, physiological problems, and family troubles. Here are few tips to protect children from school violence.

Group of children in a primary school in Paris

Image via Wikipedia

Parents should create awareness among their children about the school violence and should encourage their children to watch television programs that discusses about such violence. Parents should let their children know that the violence in the schools are rare and do not happen all the time. Parents should check the security programs offered by the schools. Parents can obtain about the security information from the teachers, principal, or from the counsellors of the schools.

Most schools provide handbook of the school security programs and parents can read it carefully to check the measures implemented by the school to protect the children. Parents should attend board meetings and parent-teacher meetings in the schools so that they can interact with the teachers and know more about the security programs.

While attending meetings, parents can even suggest some new measures to improve the campus security. Parents should provide their children with some important phone numbers and this include fire department, police department, medical department, and other relevant department as this will be very helpful during emergencies. Parents can even train their children with some escape or survival methods. Finally, parents can provide their children with survival kits.

 

 

Filed Under: School Violence, Students Tagged With: , ,

Is School Violence Ordinary?

Is school violence so ordinary that every day in every school instances of physical and psychological violence go unreported and unheeded?  Unfortunately, the answer for most schools and most students is yes.  It is not until some extraordinary act of violence occurs that society and educators begin the back tracking that reveals patterns of violence, abuse, social isolation and shaming that ultimately lead to an extraordinary act.

Not every student victim or perpetrator of small acts of physical and psychological violence goes on to commit an extraordinary act.  Yet every victim and perpetrator is changed by the violence, some irrevocably.

Our role has parents and educators is to create a learning atmosphere where every student feels accepted by their teachers and by each other.  Our goal for education should be more than the acquisition of a prescribed volume of knowledge or the passing of standardized tests.  Our goal should be to prepare students to learn fir  understanding, to learn to find meaning, and to learn tolerance and how to live together.

Addressing small violences as they occur is everyone’s responsibility.  It must be addressed at home, at school, in the community, and in the media.  It begins with information.  What is a small act of violence? Is it pushing? Shunning?  Is it cruel speech?  It begins with modeling the behavior we want to see, not just in the classroom, but everywhere we interact with each other.

Violence of any kind should never be ordinary.  A great society only flourishes when every member is treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.  Can we change the wave of violence if everyone steps up to the responsibility?  Parents and educators can change themselves and influence changes in children. Isn’t it worth a try?  We have so much to lose.

Filed Under: School Violence, Students Tagged With: , ,

School Violence

School violence is an epidemic that has gained national attention in the last 20 years. The biggest event that drew much of the awareness was the event at Columbine High School. There were three students that had allegedly conspired to retaliate against bullies that had been mean to them for a significant portion of their schooling. It turns out that one of the assailants was reported to having significant mental issues, and planned the brunt of the attack. He recruited the other two boys that helped him to carry out his plan. After reading his journal it was discovered that he was a severely disturbed young man, and that there had been many warning signs that would attest to this. The problem was that many teachers were not trained to recognize these types of issues, and when recognized how to handle the situation.

Since this horrific day, schools nationwide have been trained on how to handle such an event, how to notice warning signs, and the proper procedures for ensuring student safety. In fact, most public high schools now have one to two full-time police officers that are on staff that roam the halls of high schools. They are notified of suspicious activity, and there are psychologist on staff that assist in the detection of emotional disturbances. There has even been an extensive study completed that suggests that many of these students that exhibit violent emotional behaviors are in need of special services, anti-psychotic medications, and individualized attention that is intended to address the behavior and help correct it so that the student can function in a mainstream environment. This has been most beneficial as the occurrences in school violence committed by individual students has dropped significantly. Students also have free counseling services that allow them to reach out to professionals in an anonymous fashion, and they can receive help free of charge. This also includes therapy for suicidal tendencies, and physical threats against teachers.

Filed Under: School Violence Tagged With: , , ,

Seeing Through Violence

Violence has been growing in our schools. It isn’t just the number of incidents that is growing; it is the severity of those instances. School violence used to mean a fight in the playground or someone’s belongings being destroyed. Today’s incidences of school violence are more likely to include firearms or other lethal weapons. Instead of students with black eyes, today school violence gives us students who are permanently injured or even killed. There is no way to sugarcoat this problem. It is serious and it is growing.

It is easy to blame school violence on things like violence in video games and the media or increased access to firearms, but the truth is school violence is about more than what our children are exposed to. It is about what our children are feeling, how they’re taught to deal with those feelings and a general feeling of entitlement or invulnerability.

School violence is a touchy subject because many people have differing views on what causes school violence and how should be addressed. Many believe that the root cause of school violence is harassment or bullying while others believe that school violence is caused by ‘bad’ kids or kids with violent tendencies. Maybe it doesn’t matter what causes school violence, may be what really matters is how we deal with it.

Some schools are opting to install metal detectors, employing fulltime security guards and regularly searching lockers and backpacks. Others require students to carry see through backpacks. Maybe preventative measures are not enough. Maybe what we need to do is educate our children from kindergarten about school violence.

Perhaps if students, teachers, parents and administrators all learn to understand the early signs of violence we can begin to put a stop to it. Something must be done before school violence continues to escalate.

Filed Under: Education, School Violence Tagged With: , ,

The Public Advantage: Meeting Special Needs

It is a quick dismissal, an assumption of dwindling standards: public education will no longer suffice. Your child instead demands attention, the assistance of qualified professionals. A disability has marked each day a challenge for him. He needs more therefore than the crowded classrooms and overwhelmed instructors. Though there have been promises of individual care, the independent programs, you simply think these won’t be enough. A private education is instead wanted. It’s the chance for him to excel.

That chance never comes, however.

A school instead refuses to accept him, won’t even consider allowing him to enroll. It is not a reflection your bank account. It is not a slight against your child. It’s instead the prerogative of an organization that is not required by law to offer admission to special needs pupils. They can instead reject them, deem them too much of a concern.

And this is — you discover — the great failing of private education. There is no certainty your son can be helped.

Public schools, however, provide a far better advantage. Despite the many complications they may offer, these institutions are government sanctioned. This translates to an immediate acceptance of your child. All students with disabilities (no matter how mild or severe) are to be accommodated. The necessary programs and procedures must be implemented. New teachers and methods must be offered. It’s a guarantee of success.

And parents wishing to ensure a better education for their son or daughter will discover that the public option is the stronger choice. No student can be refused. They instead must be helped — and this is essential.

Private education is often deemed to be the only acceptable decision. But those seeking to enhance their child’s life (in regards to a disorder) will often be met with a lack of compassion. There is no assurance. There is only refusal.

Public schools, however, offer an easier ideal: all special needs will be answered, aided and soothed.

Filed Under: Education, Private School, School Violence, Students Tagged With: , , ,

Student Assembly: Rights

A child waits in the silence of an office. It’s an oppressive scene — with a principal glaring at her from across his desk, papers sprawled between (the contents of a permanent record, all meant to be examined and intimidate). He is furious, but so is she. And it becomes a dare of who will break first.

He does.

The yells are not unexpected, but they are so very loud. The accusations are without end. He demands explanations for her conduct, reasons for her supposed foolishness. Her attempts to rally students against the latest rules (demands for uniforms, the stripping away of personal expression) are deemed irresponsible and without merit. She is told she can’t do such things.

But she can — because student rights are just as vital of those of adults.

All children have the ability to form assemblies and protest against their schools. This is secured by the First Amendment (as well as the revolutionary case of Edwards v. South Carolina, crafted in 1963 when African-American students were allowed to gather together and march without repercussions). All individuals are given permission to speak against laws or views they do not believe to be fair. This is guaranteed.

It is also, however, limited. While students can assemble, they are not allowed to do so during the hours of school itself (disrupting others and their chances to learn) and cannot resort to violence. All protests must be peaceful and organized. If these conditions are adhered to, however, then no principal or teacher can find fault with the process. Any attempts to deny it — or threaten individuals with punishment — is a violation of inherent rights and is therefore illegal.

Students must be aware of what they can accomplish and wield the power responsibly. The ability to assemble is one that must be considered carefully and understood as vital. It is a law that is ensured. It is a right that cannot be refused.

Filed Under: School Violence, Students Tagged With: , ,

The First Amendment Protections: Students

It’s an assumption of youth, the belief that legalities do not extend to schoolyards. Students and their feelings are often dismissed within this modern age, deemed insignificant. Their needs are ignored. Their rights are discounted. All amendment protections are thought to dissipate within corridors and classrooms — the will of superintendents is instead believed to be paramount. All rules must be offered through the educational chain of command, filtered down to pupils. There can be no democracy within the halls. There can only be a careful tyranny, meant to ensure order and ease.

But such intentions are as foolish as they are unlawful.

Students — despite the protestations of principals and faculty members — have rights. They are secured under the clauses of the First Amendment and are never to be denied the values it provides.

Simply defined, this law (as relevant now as it was when it was first created in 1789) ensures that all individuals — no matter their gender, creed or even age — cannot be refused the freedoms of religious expression, speech, assemblage, press and the ability to petition Congress and offer grievances. These rights are deemed the cornerstones of a republic and must be adhered to… even in the school environment.

Students cannot be refused the ability to declare their religious ties or political views (as long as those views do not disrupt the intention of learning. There are, naturally, limitations to all laws and the context must be understood). Speech is to be protected and protests are to be allowed — as long as they are peaceful and follow the accepted protocols.

Age does not define worth in the eyes of the government. No child is to be without the rights of his parents; and this must be understood. Too often are students denied even the most basic of dignities. Such denials are illegal, however, and must be countered immediately.

The First Amendment is to be offered to all.

Filed Under: Education, School Violence, Students Tagged With: , , ,

The Free Speech Distinction: Student Rights

It begins as a simple assembly — the intention is to argue school policies, to demand the removal of archaic rules. A student waits on a stage, speech prepared and smile ready. He will win the trust of his classmates by making the necessary statements, promising the essential things. This is his certainty.

But his confidence begins to wane as others make those exact same promises. His competitors are offering all of the vital words, and he thinks he cannot win this way. He must try something different, something unexpected.

And so — when it is finally his turn — he tries to earn his peers’ favor with a joke: about drug use and its more… soothing qualities. The laughs are received but the consequences are immediate. He is taken from the stage and told such words are not permitted. He tries to argue First Amendment freedom but is quickly proven wrong: not all speech is acceptable within a school setting.

The common misconception regarding the First Amendment is that it cannot be challenged. All assume that it protects every form of dialogue. It doesn’t, however. Instead there are limitations — especially when relating to the education system — and these must be understood.

No student, during the process of an assembly or formal gathering, can promote illegal behaviors: such as drug use, alcohol consumption, underage intercourse or theft. Obscenities and vulgar statements are also not allowed (as distinguished in the Bethel School District v. Fraser case of 1986, when a child was suspended after offering sexual implications within a speech). Schools are allowed to make certain distinctions based upon the accepted standards of morality. The judgment is often provided solely by the superintendents.

Free speech is guaranteed but it is not without restrictions. This is to protect the rights of others, ensuring that offensive content is not simply passed about the halls. Students must recognize this and understand the consequences of ignoring it.

Filed Under: Education, School Violence, Students Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts