Following the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, there have been ongoing debates about enhancing school safety. Many advocate for “hardening” schools, proposing measures like arming teachers. However, extensive research suggests these methods are not the most effective way to enhance school security. Instead, experts recommend improving the social and emotional health of students.
On the Friday after the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Professor Matthew Mayer at Rutgers Graduate School of Education received an email from Shane Jimerson at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Both focus on school violence research. That email resulted in extended discussions and collaborations among experts, leading to the creation of a concise, eight-point plan titled “Call for Action To Prevent Gun Violence In The United States of America.” This plan challenges the idea of hardening schools and emphasizes improving the social and emotional well-being of students.
If prevention is the goal, a public health approach is recommended. Rather than waiting for emergencies, this involves proactive community engagement, such as promoting health and monitoring for environmental hazards.
Ron Avi Astor from the University of Southern California participated in drafting the plan. The emphasis is similar to traditional public health strategies: preventing issues before they escalate. This means addressing bullying, discrimination, and environmental contributors to gun violence, including the presence of guns.
The eight-point plan includes universal background checks, banning assault-style weapons, and implementing Gun Violence Protection Orders. These orders enable police officers to take action when there is an imminent threat involving firearms.
Prevention: The First Step
Experts argue that improving school climate is critical to prevention. School climate involves the quality of relationships between students and adults, discipline approaches, and the presence of counselors and social workers. A positive school climate fosters better mental and emotional health, ultimately contributing to academic success.
Research highlights key factors that enhance school safety, such as cultivating social and emotional health, connecting students to community resources, and focusing on troubled individuals. Students who carry weapons often report experiences of bullying or feeling threatened. This scenario extends beyond U.S. borders, affecting students in Kosovo, Canada, Chile, and Israel.
Implementing measures to reduce bullying and harassment holds promise for conflict de-escalation. According to Catherine Bradshaw at the University of Virginia, evidence-based social and emotional strategies have contributed to more than a decade-long decline in bullying.
The Influence of Witnesses
School climate improvements can also mitigate violence through what is known as the role of witnesses. In California, a survey indicates that a significant proportion of students have observed weapons at school. Strong adult-student relationships encourage students to report threats, increasing safety. Astor discourages punishing or expelling students caught with weapons. Instead, he proposes addressing issues through education.
This educational intervention applies to mass shootings, as well as violence stemming from student disputes or nearby gang activity. Addressing gun violence extends to preventing suicides, which are among the leading causes of teenage deaths.
The Call to Action advocates for evaluating school climate nationwide, removing exclusionary practices, ensuring emotionally safe schools, and increasing availability of professionals, including counselors and social workers.
Emergency Measures
Though school climate improvement is ongoing, there must be an emergency mode within the public health approach when violence threats arise. Upon reporting potential violence, action should be taken through “threat assessments.”
After the Columbine shooting, studies by the FBI and Secret Service revealed that almost all students who committed homicide had disclosed their intentions beforehand.
Schools were advised to adopt the Secret Service’s threat assessment approach to potential violence.
Virginia law has mandated threat assessments since 2013, and other regions have gradually adopted the practice. A threat assessment team typically includes the principal, school counselor, school psychologist, and school-based police officer. They assess the seriousness of the threat and may notify parents, help victims, and liaise with mental health and law enforcement if needed.
Dewey Cornell at the University of Virginia indicates research supports threat assessments in Virginia, citing benefits such as reduced suspensions, decreased bullying, and increased willingness to report threats.
Despite past attempts, experts like Mayer hope the current Call to Action will resonate widely and prompt meaningful change. Similar initiatives emerged post-Sandy Hook and other school shootings. The aim is for ongoing attention to lead to practical, research-supported solutions.