 |
 |
When crime, drugs, and violence spill
over from the streets into the schools, providing a safe learning
environment becomes increasingly difficult. More student carry
weapons for protection. Gunfights replace fist fights. Many
student must travel through drug dealer or gang turf. Violence
becomes an acceptable way to settle conflicts.
When this happens, children cannot learn and teacher cannot
teach. Creating a safe place where children can learn and
grow depends on a partnership among students, parents, teachers,
and other community institutions to prevent school violence:
Find out
how crime threatens schools in your community.
Take
actions to protect children.
Promote
nonviolent ways to manage conflict.
How do
these ideas translate into action?
Here are
some practical suggestions for you people, parents, school staff,
and others in the community.
STUDENTS
Settle
arguments with words, not fists or weapons.
Report
crimes or suspicious activities to the police, school
authorities, or parents.
Learn
safe routes for traveling to and from school, and know good
places to seek help.
Don't use
alcohol or other drugs, and stay away from places and people
associated with them.
Get
involved in your school's anti violence activities have poster
contests against violence, hold antidrug rallies, volunteer to
cones peers. If there's no program, help start one.
PARENTS
Sharpen
your parenting skills. Emphasize and build on your children's
strengths.
Teach
your children how to reduce their risks of becoming crime
victims.
Know
where your kids are, what they are doing, and whom they are with
at all times.
Help your
children learn nonviolent ways to handle frustration, anger, and
conflict.
Become
involved in your child's school activities - PTA, field trips,
and helping out in the class or the lunch room.
Work with
other parents in your neighborhood to start a McGruff House or
other block parent program.
SCHOOL STAFF
Evaluate
your school's safety objectively. Set targets for improvement.
Develop
consistent disciplinary policies, good security procedures, and a
response plan for emergencies.
Train
school personnel in conflict resolution, problem solving, drug
prevention, crisis intervention, cultural sensitivity, classroom
management, and counseling skills.
Work with
student, parents, law enforcement, local governments, and
community-based groups to develop wider-scope crime
prevention efforts.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Law
enforcement can report on the type of crimes in the surrounding
community and suggest ways to make schools safer.
Community-based groups, church organizations, and other service
groups can provide counseling, extended learning programs, before
and after-school activities, school watches, and other community
crime prevention programs.
State and
local governments can develop model school safety plans and
provide funding for schools to implement the programs.
Local
businesses can provide apprenticeship programs, participate in
the adopt-a-school programs, or serve as mentors to area
students.
Colleges
and universities can offer conflict management courses to
teachers or assist school officials in developing violence
prevention curricula.
A McGruff
House is a reliable source help for children in emergency or
frightening situations. For information call 801-486-8768.
| Ascent Foundation Homepage | Family Index | Back to the Top |
Thanks For
Visiting, Please Come Again!
~ Ascent
Foundation ~