Violence Threatens the Learning Environment - education - Brief Article

School Administrator, Jan, 1994 by Robert P. Fox

A safe and orderly environment! According to effective schools research, it's a necessity if we want students to learn. Maslow's hierarchy of needs also makes clear that people are more effective when they feel a sense of safety and security.

Today, violence in communities across America is threatening the safety and security of children and adults, and it is spilling into our schools.

The cost of trying to contain violence is high. Many school systems, whether urban, suburban, or rural, whether large or small, have added security systems and personnel. Perhaps the most significant cost, the one that will most profoundly affect our nation's future, is the distraction from learning.

Many speculate that students who have seen friends, neighbors, or relatives injured or killed through acts of violence show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, a problem that more usually strikes soldiers returning from combat zones. Today, some students are distracted constantly, looking over their shoulders for possible danger, rather than paying attention to schoolwork.

What are the root causes of what seems to be an increasingly violent society? No one has a definitive list. However, speculation generally points to child neglect, violence on television, gangs, peer pressure, frustration caused by a lack of hope, worsening social and economic conditions, protection against feared violence, and lessons from an increasingly violent society.

What's at stake, of course, is human life and human dignity. So is a great deal of time and money that could be better invested in academics and in developing the talents of children.

Some might fear that the reputation of their school or school system is placed in jeopardy if incidents of violence are reported or that parents will move their children into private schools. The fact is that violent acts can occur in any school.

What can be done?

First, we need to be sure we have policies and procedures in place for dealing with acts of violence. That includes the protection of people to the fullest extent possible. It also includes reporting, tracking, and analyzing the incidents to give us evidence of causes and potential solutions.

Second, we should train staff and students in conflict resolution techniques, and provide suggestions on what to do and not to do in various situations.

Third, we may want to collaborate with various agencies of local government, including law enforcement officials; divisions of state government; agencies that share a responsibility for the education, health, safety, and security of citizens; business people; parents, and others. In Georgia, for example, several groups have coalesced on the issue, including the governor.

Educators are prepared to educate, to expand the knowledge and skills of students, to help them live fulfilling, productive lives. They are generally not prepared to deal with random acts of violence. Therefore, while we're providing the training, let's send a strong message that each community must deal with this issue, which is having such a profound impact on our schools.

If we hope to deliver on our promise of a sound education for all, then we need the help of our communities, our states, and our nation in dealing with the root causes and the actual problems that too often are depriving schools of a safe environment.

The solution is everybody's job, and it can't come soon enough.