What we want: Safe schools

NEA Today, Sep 1994

What It Takes To Make a School Safe

As violence becomes commonplace at schools around the country, school staffs are pulling out all the stops to keep children safe.

High-tech equipment, hand-holding discipline, and teaching kids and their families about non-violent resolution are increasingly part of a safe school strategy.

At Cloverdale Elementary School in Little Rock, Arkansas, supervision aide Calvin Langston serves as a mentor in the school's Straight Talk program. Once a month, dozens of third to sixth grade boys gather to talk with mentors about things like trouble at home or why they've been fighting in school.

How have the kids responded? "For some, it takes a little time," says Langston, a member of the Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association. Some always will have that wall up. You have to sit down and let them know you're there for them."

Supportive, yes, but tough, too. some kids think that because of their close relationship with Langston, they can actually get away with more. "I tell them I'll be there," says Langston, "but if you get in trouble, you will be dealt with."

For Langston, the important victories come quietly. One fifth grader was in constant trouble. Once in Straight Talk, Langston built a rapport with him, meeting him after class or walking with him. "He began to calm down," says Langston. "He doesn't do a lot of fighting anymore."

* In Union, Oklahoma, school safety is a spotlight issue.

Night custodians for the Union Public Schools were concerned about the dark corners and poorly lit parking lots on campuses as incidents of vandalized cars and unauthorized people on campus began to rise.

"But it wasn't just our issue," notes Brian Peck, president of the Union Support Personnel Association. The custodian's concerns led to the formation of a Security Task Force that included support members, teachers, administrators, and parents.

New motion lights around dumpsters and brighter lights in parking lots have added a greater degree of safety for employees and students alike. Next in the list: vehicle registration and increased security staffing.

* The Broward (Florida) NEA UniServ Paraprofessional Association is developing alternatives to the traditional suspension process for four elementary and four middle schools.

One facet of the program: a child who is suspended must sign a contract agreeing to attend mediation training on non-violent resolutions to conflict. Parents too must sign this contract and [participate.

Working with teachers and NEA's Center for the Revitalization of Urban Education, the Association will kick off its program--its latest bid in the battle for safe schools--this year.

Environmental Safety Zone

School buildings can pose environmental threats to the health of students and staff. What should you aim for in your struggle to keep you school safe?

* Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems that allow for a fresh air supply and are cleaned regularly.

* Pest control that works yet is non-toxic to humans. In Texas, a method called "integrated pest management" aims to reduce pests to tolerable levels, not eradicate them, in exchange for using the least toxic method available.

* High-quality cleaning products such as floor waxes, that keep things clean longer and reduce the chemicals humans are exposed to.

* Natural lighting, or at least carefully designed whole-room light installation, to ensure that there's proper light not only to read, but to stay alert.

for more information on these and other topics like "Nutrition, Learning, and the Cafeteria," check out The Healthy School Handbook: Conquering the Sick Building Syndrome and Other Environmental Hazards In and Around Your School from the NEA Professional Library, available now at the special ESP pre-publication price of $15.95.

To order, call toll free 800/229-4200

or write NEA Professional Library, P.O. Box 509, West Haven, CT 06516. Use stock no. 1863-X-10-C8.

Lead and Radon

NEA Today asked Phil Barnett, counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, for some answers on the dangers of lead and radon.

What are the biggest dangers lead and radon pose to schools?

The Centers for Diseases Control and the EPA have said lead is the number on environmental health hazard for kids, particularly for ids six years and under. Low levels of lead exposure can imp[air kids' mental development. Researchers say one out of six children may have elevated levels of lead in their blood.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. The EPA did a survey that showed one out of five schools had at least one classroom with elevated levels of radon.

Where are lead and radon commonly found?

Peeling lead paint is often found around windows and old radiators. Lead paint dust is commonly found in buildings during renovations. Radon is in the ground. You can't smell it, you cant' see it, you can't taste it. You have to test for it.

What is happening in the legislature to address these issues?

Unfortunately, very little federal help is available now. There is opening legislation--that NEA supports--to provide funds for both school radon and lead testing, but the outlook for enactment this year is unlikely. NEA members should urge their members of Congress to support legislation requiring schools to conduct tests for these hazards and help pay for testing and clean-up.