Tackling school violence does take the whole village

Educational Forum, The, Winter 2003 by Willert, H Jeanette, Lenhardt, Ann Marie C

Over the last decade, school officials have focused on ways to address violence, real and perceived, in their schools. Not surprisingly, administrators have tried many solutions and undertaken many initiatives in major cities across the country (Council of the Great City Schools 1993). However, the Annual Report on School Safety (U.S. Department of Education [USDE] and Department of Justice [DOJ] 2000) revealed that big-city systems are not the only ones scrambling to curb violence and violence-related behaviors that result in suspensions; neither rural nor suburban schools have escaped the effects of violence and crime. No school district is immune to school violence.

Despite well-documented proof of a steady decline in fatal incidents in the nation's schools, many still perceive school violence as spiraling out of control and as increasing annually. Much of this misperception is due to heavy media coverage of the school shootings that do occur and the increased hostility and severity of school shooting incidents themselves. In actuality, violent deaths at school have declined from a high of 49 during the 1995-- 96 school year to 34 during 1998-99. From 1992 to 1998, nonfatal school crimes-theft, sexual assault, and robbery-had declined from 144 to 101 per thousand. In 1998, a total of 252,700 serious nonfatal crimes were reported occurring either at school or on the way to or from school. Also declining were the carrying of weapons and engaging in physical fights on school grounds (USDE and DOJ 2000).

Yet numbers do not tell the whole story Though the rates for fatal and nonfatal crimes are in decline, the climate of fear created by highly publicized school shootings spurs parents and school leaders to search for ways to increase security in their schools. The quick fix for many communities is to invest in more security measures, spending funds desperately needed for programs to improve the academic, social, and emotional lives of their children. Moreover, the quick fix has not proven effective as a deterrent; in fact, some believe that the presence of security technology and armed guards has a backlash effect for some students prone to alienation and aggression (Hyman and Perone 1997; Page and Hammermeister 1997).

In most schools, serious or fatal violence occurs infrequently. Yet schools still face significant problems with behaviors that stem from violent impulses. Almost all schools report various degrees of bullying: teasing, verbal put-downs, harassment, exclusion by cliques, shoving, taking of personal belongings, and fighting. Bullying falls under the umbrella of violence, because it is the root system that can nourish more serious crimes. However, school personnel often do not label or perceive bullying behaviors as acts of violence, perhaps because our whole society has become less sensitized to cruelty and injury. Though a small number of students commit nonfatal violence, many more young people are witnessing this violence and coming to accept it as an inevitability. As a result, some students are feeling a greater sense of alienation and hopelessness (USDE and DOJ 2000; Emery 1993).

To define violence simply by its aftereffects-a theft, a fight, a murder-rather than by the behaviors that expose its roots-such as teasing, verbal taunting, and exclusion-is to ignore the sources of violence that can be effectively addressed through joint school and community action. Therefore, school boards and personnel must solicit and truly hear the views of all stakeholders in the larger school community and invite those stakeholders to share in making decisions on a long-term basis.

As Dwyer, Osher, and Warger (1998,14) noted, "Effective schools need to include families and the entire community in the education of children . . . and actively involve them in the planning, implementing and evaluating of violence prevention initiatives." A wide consensus affirms and supports the need for a collaborative effort to deal effectively with the problem of school violence (Hill and Drolet 1999).

Schools alone cannot provide longlasting responses and solutions to the school violence problem. As a result, many school districts have reached out to the larger community for help (Civic Partners 1997; Emery 1993; Knox 1996; Wagner and Sconyers 1996). Schools have welcomed community support, most frequently inviting business, social agencies, and law enforcement to participate in advisory councils or task forces to formulate action plans for addressing school safety issues. However, many important voices are often omitted from the conversation. Few school/ community partnerships have sought to uncover the beliefs, concerns, or solutions of some vital stakeholders, whether parents, students, or other segments of the community. Yet the involvement and input of all stakeholders is critical for school reform or renewal (USDE and DOJ 2000; Civic Partners 1997; Emery 1993; Knoff and Batsche 1994; Page and Hammermeister 1997; Detroit Board of Education 1994; Gregg 1993; Wagner and Sconyers 1996).