ANALYSIS
School Safety Lessons Learned: From Cleveland to Newtown to Alabama
WRITTEN BY STEPHEN SROKA
can learn more and live better. I offer several lessons that I have learned. Decades ago, when children were killed in the inner city of Cleveland, you probably never heard about them. Only when the killings moved to the suburbs, such as Columbine, did they become national news. Te Newtown shootings shocked this country like no other school violence. Ten, about one month later, Alabama school bus driver Chuck Poland was shot and killed by a trespasser who then abducted a 5-year-old boy with autism. Now, school violence prevention is front-page
W
news everywhere. School violence can happen anywhere, but not
“here.” After school shootings, it is often heard, “I cannot believe that it can happen here.” As we have learned, school violence can happen anywhere, even on a school bus. But don’t be surprised after the next tragedy if someone says, “I cannot believe that it can happen here.” Denial is human. Be prepared, not scared. Schools are not power-
less. Awareness, education, and advocacy can help break down this attitude that it can’t happen here. Schools and districts need to have a school-commu- nity emergency plan of action in place for students, staff, including bus drivers, and parents. It should be both practiced and proactive. Practice drills are crucial. Denial allows violence to grow unseen. Preparation allows violence to be dealt with as soon as it is seen.
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orking with school safety for over 30 years, I have tried to help schools and communities keep our youth safe and healthy so that they
Social media has changed how we communicate.
Texts, tweets, and Facebook posts, which were not around at the time of the Columbine shootings, now offer instant information — and misinforma- tion. Before problems occur, students need to be part of a dialogue with parents and educators about how schools can responsibly use social media to make schools safer. Social media may prove to be one of the best new tools to help keep our schools safe and parents informed, including information about bus schedules, traffic updates and accident reporting, and to encourage students to take owner- ship of their schools and education.
BULLYING IS A SYMPTOM, AND MENTAL HEALTH IS THE ISSUE
Bullying is a hot topic and often is blamed for
many of the heinous actions that result in deaths. Bullying is serious and needs to be addressed. Bus drivers need to be aware of situations on buses that may make bullying more difficult to see. But, some experts today do not see bullying as a cause, but rather as a symptom of a mental health problem. In fact, bullying is often mentioned as a cause for violence even when it is not, as in Columbine. Issues such as mental illness, depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, anger, family violence and substance abuse are often at the root of such destructive behaviors. Treat the illness, not the symptom. Many profes-
sionals would like to provide a comprehensive men- tal-health approach for the schools, families, and community. Perhaps depression screening for all students may prove to be more helpful in identifying those at risk of hurting themselves as well as others.
School violence can happen anywhere, even on a school bus. But don’t be surprised after the next tragedy if someone says, “I cannot believe that it can happen here.” Denial is human.
38 School Transportation News October 2013
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