School Safety in the News 3-23-13

School safety in Philly takes center stage at City Council hearing
Philadelphia Public School Notebook (blog)

Safety School of Rom-ComU.S. News & World Report 

Sharon School Official Attends DA Safety Assessment Meeting
Patch.com

Mission CISD tackles campus safety issues
Monitor

His Voice: Work together to keep schools safe
Tracy Press

Vacaville schools participate in safety training drill
The Reporter

Roger Webb: No quick fixes to school safety issue
NewsOK.com

New Springfield school safety committee seeks to confer with school ...
MassLive.com

School Safety Agents Press Pay Discrimination Case
SchoolBook

School Safety in the News 3-5-13

Bentley: Alabama police hold school safety answers
San Francisco Chronicle

Dutchess concentrates on school safety after Newtown
Poughkeepsie Journal

School safety on table as legislative session starts Tuesday
Palm Beach Post

Robert Bentley: Law enforcement should handle school safety
Montgomery Advertiser

Panelists: Elementary school shooting brings campus safety to forefront
Community Impact Newspaper

Bivona: A Reflection on School Safety
Patch.com

Governor set to address school safety summit
CBS42

Legislators introduce a flurry of school safety bills
EdSource Today

Forum to gauge school safety
Sky Hi Daily News

Ohio College Safe, Reopened after Bomb Threat

Hiram, OH
Hiram College officials gave the "all clear" and reopened their northeast Ohio school Friday night, after an hours-long sweep found nothing suspicious following a bomb threat.

College spokesman Tom Ford said the campus community was alerted that the school was safe.
"Nothing was found that was suspicious," Ford said.

The college received an emailed bomb threat about 4 p.m. and ordered everyone on campus to evacuate. Ford said state and federal authorities were notified about the email, and safety teams with bomb-sniffing dogs checked the campus "room by room, building by building."

Preventing Violence Starts with You

In the aftermath of Aurora, CO one of the most important questions that comes up is, "How can these incidents be prevented?"

The story from Oklahoma, where a cab driver heard a 17-year old boy talk about a Columbine-style massacre, gives us a clue.

The Denver Post also printed an article by Delbert Elliot and Beverly Kingston that, other than an obvious plug for their product, raised a great point.  "A key violence-prevention strategy is good surveillance and intelligence."  


The Secret Service published a study in 2002 that examined school attacks from 1974 through 2000.  One of its major findings was that, "...school shootings are rarely impulsive acts. Rather, they are typically thought out and planned out in advance. In addition, prior to most shootings other kids knew the shooting was to occur - but did not alert an adult."

There are four phases to emergency management: mitigation/prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.  While taking courses for a Master's Certificate in Homeland Security this past spring, I learned that there are voices calling for prevention to become a separate phase, as it deals only with man-made incidents.  Whether it does or not remains to be seen, but in our current climate, it takes on increasing significance.

Violence rarely, if ever, happens in a vacuum.  The US Department of Homeland Security learned that there are signs that are displayed prior to the incident.  If you compare school attacks to terror attacks, there are seven signs of an impending attack: 1) Surveillance, which may include the use of cameras (either still or video), note taking, drawing diagrams, or annotating on maps; 2) Elicitations, where people attempt to gain information about school operations, capabilities, or people; 3) Tests of security, which are attempts to measure reaction times to security breaches or to penetrate physical security barriers or procedures in order to assess strengths and weaknesses; 4) Acquiring supplies, such as purchasing or stealing explosives, weapons, ammunition, etc; 5) Persons out of place, which is students who don’t seem to belong in the that part of the school; 6) Dry run/trial run, where people and/or equipment are put into position and moving them around according to plan without actually committing the terrorist act; and 7) Deploying assets, where people and supplies are getting into position to commit the act. This is the last chance to alert authorities before the terrorist act occurs.

What needs to be done is to create the kind of climate in schools where kids feel comfortable in approaching an adult and telling them of the signs they have seen that worry them, and to have school personnel who are confident in their abilities to recognize the seriousness of the information they are hearing, and to act properly on that information.

This can involve quick-fixes like hotlines and anonymous drop boxes, which are good ideas, but should involve the long-term actions that develop trusting relationships with students.  Students will not bring forth information if they feel that their information will be ignored, or worse yet, when they get in trouble for bringing it up.  That information is useless if staff members do not act appropriately on it.

Given the increasing number of stories like Aurora and Oklahoma, wouldn't it be prudent to take the time to develop the measures that can prevent such tragedies are occurring?

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Crop Dusting Safety Concerns High in Kern County

Bakersfield, CA
Three times already this year, pesticide drift incidents have been reported in Kern County. Farmers say the chemicals are necessary, and they're doing a better job than ever of using them. But, others worry about safety.

In March, suspected pesticides drifted over a school bus carrying about 30 children. The elementary-age kids were part of the Rio Bravo-Greeley Union School District. Firefighters who responded, said a crop duster slightly oversprayed and hit the bus near Stockdale Highway and Interstate 5.

One child was taken to the doctor by parents, Frankhauser said. He said the no other children had symptoms, they were checked as a precaution.

A Powerful Article about Teacher Assaults

Lately, I have read several blogs and discussions concerning the under-reporting of crimes in schools.  As both a school administrator and a Director of School Safety, this directly impacts my work.

Yesterday I came across this article in the San Francisco Chronicle  "Teachers learning to file assault complaints".  The article covers Connecticut teachers who face problems with being assaulted in schools.  It provided a chilling statistic for Connecticut schools.  "In 2010-11, the latest school year data available, there were 181 assaults on teachers and school employees in Bridgeport and 1,528 assaults in the state, up from 1,308 in 2009-2010."  The article goes on to add more chilling statistics: "There were more than 6,400 reported incidents of physical violence against school employees from 2006 through 2010, according to data collected by the State Department of Education. (Connecticut)"

The first response from a person in denial is, 'That's just in Connecticut.'  While it might be hoped for, that is not the case.  "Using figures from the National Center for Educational Statistics, the study found that 253,100 teachers -- about seven percent -- report being threatened with injury, and 127,500 report being physically attacked in 2003-04. In 2007-08, according to the NCES, the number threatened had risen to 289,600 and the number attacked rose to 154,400. Reported assaults were more likely in urban districts and in secondary schools, the data showed." Seven percent of teachers across the country report being threatened with injury, and approximately 3.5% reporting being physically attacked, and it's clear that a major problem exists.

The American Psychological Association (APA) conducted a study which called violence against teachers a silent national crisis, with over 25% of teachers nationwide reporting being threatened at school.  A preview of that study had a quote from the Task Force which conducted the study, "“These numbers did not differ by school setting, by gender of the teacher or by years of teaching,” said Task Force Chair Dorothy L. Espelage, PhD, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign."

The question always arises, "Why don't teachers report?" Many teachers are assaulted by young students, and they don't want the student to get into serious trouble. They may not want to get involved in a long, protracted legal procedure.  Perhaps they fear retribution, or they may not feel that they have the administration's support.  Sometimes teachers are dissuaded from reporting the crime, to help create the illusion that the school is safe.

This must not be.

School safety is a matter for all in schools, not just the children.  We cannot attract the best and brightest to the profession of education if people will fear for their safety.  People cannot perform at their best if they operate in fear.  It is up to us, those that dedicate ourselves to the protection of others, to create an atmosphere of safety and hope.  We cannot stand by as anyone is threatened or attacked.

Our society is in turmoil, with more and more children becoming aggressive.  Yet, they are not the enemy.  Their aggressive behaviors are, and it is from those that we must defend the other children, and the adults whose safety is our responsibility.

Sheepdogs protect the sheep from the wolves, from within the flock and from outside the flock.  We cannot look the other way, we cannot falter, we cannot fail.

Don't accept under-reporting, and don't allow the denial of others to influence your duty.

Who is with me?

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Under-Reporting Discipline Issues in Schools

Bibb County, GA
Michael Dorn, of Safe Havens International, has been hired by the Bibb County school system to perform an assessment of their schools.  One of their most important findings was, "The underreporting of on-campus incidents requiring student discipline."

There can be many reasons for this, chief among them is the desire to not be seen as a violent school.  This is denial in its most damaging form.  This is akin to a homeowner not wanting to know about the roaches, or carpenter ants, as that would give their house the appearance of being pest-ridden.

There are some very important reasons to properly report discipline incidents.  One, you cannot take care of a problem unless you identify it as a problem.  That's the first step in any type of recovery program.  Shed the denial and recognize that there is a problem.

Two, schools can place themselves in some serious liability jeopardy by not reporting discipline issues.  In Indiana, we are required to file a report of all suspensions and expulsions from that school year.  Improperly reporting data is fraud.  Having a student report a gun, and not reporting that to the police, is a crime.  Do we want our school administrators acting dishonestly to maintain the illusion of a safe school?  If school administrators are saying the schools are safe, and the kids know differently, how much respect will they have for school administration?  Will parents be able to trust school administrators who are fraudulent?

At what point do those who are responsible for protecting the sheep become the wolves?  This is a very real possibility when we operate by dishonesty, rather than honesty; on perceived notions of safety rather than reality.

Fraud and deceit are not the Sheepdog Way.

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Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/07/19/2100458/report-bibb-school-district-under.html#storylink=cpy

Some Thoughts on the Aurora Shooting

Aurora, CO
Like many others, I woke up this morning to the news of the spree shooting in Aurora, killing 12 and wounding 50.  It was a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rising".  It makes me angry when wolves prey on the innocent.

Michael Dorn has an excellent blog on the topic in which he gives his take on the shooting.  My take is a bit different.  Already on the the news, talking heads chatter on about things like gun control, psychology, seek to know why the gunman would do this horrible thing, and wonder what could have been done to prevent it.

 The awful secret to school safety, as well as emergency management, is that it is impossible to stop bad things from happening.  There are things that can be done to mitigate a disaster, and can help prevent an attack, but there is little that can be done from stopping a dedicated person from acting upon the evil in their hearts.

That doesn't mean we don't do everything we can to prevent an attack.  It just means that we should do what we can to understand why an attack occurred, and improve the way we prepare.  We should spend little time, if any, pounding our chests and crying, "Why?"

Sheepdogs adapt, change, and then overcome.

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Colleges See Street-Like Incidents of Black-on-Black Violence

Afro
Many African American parents fear that the same violence they worry will affect their young adult children on the streets at home will find them in their quest for higher education. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 93 percent of the 9,000 blacks murdered in 2007, were killed by other blacks. Blacks are six times more likely to be victims of violent crimes than whites and eight times more likely to be the perpetrator, the report said.

Though college campuses don’t have the same level of violence as urban streets, some of the same kinds of crimes occur there, experts said—shootings, stabbings and assaults as a result of senseless disagreements and perceived slights. Even some students who are high academic achievers resort to street behavior when faced with a conflict at college, experts said.

How Does Violence In The Media Impact School Bullying?

Medical News Today
Douglas Gentile, an Iowa State University associate professor of psychology has conducted a new study published in July's edition of Psychology of Popular Media Culture, which may offer a new approach for schools to help profiling students who are more likely to commit aggressive acts against other students.

Gentile's study involved 430 children between the ages of 7 to 11 years (grades 3-5) from 5 Minnesota schools. He found that exposure to media violence is one of six risk factors to predict later aggression. The other five risk factors include low parental involvement, gender, bias toward hostility, physical victimization and prior physical fights. Knowing which students have a risk of aggression can help school officials to identify which students might have a higher tendency to fight or bully others later in the school year.

Indoor Air Quality Coordinator - Another Hat

This morning I received training from the Indiana State Department of Health on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).  There is a new law out that affects schools, and I was appointed the IAQ Coordinator for Southern Hancock Schools, so I needed to go and see how the new law would affect our operations.

No upholstered furniture in classrooms, no home carpeting, no stuffed animals.  No furry, feathered or reptilian animals without an educational purpose.  Small fish bowls are OK, but not large aquariums.  No scented candles, air fresheners, or diffusers.  Some teachers will need to make some major changes.

Nearly 10% of all children have asthma, which can be triggered by strong smells and animal dander.  Nearly 10% of all adults have asthma as well.  A couple of years ago we had a teacher with asthma who had an attack brought on by the scented candle of a colleague.  She had forgotten her inhaler, and an ambulance had to be called.

I myself have asthma, so this hits home.  I'll be looking over the info will and see what our course of action as a school corporation will be.  It will almost certainly involve creating new board policies.

I'm going to need a hat tree.

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Allentown School District Settles Central Elementary Lawsuit for $825,000

Allentown, PA
Allentown School District has agreed to pay $825,000 to settle a sexual discrimination lawsuit by four boys who claimed educators at Central Elementary did nothing to stop sexual assaults by an older student.

The settlement announced Monday afternoon ends more than six years of litigation over the attacks by a 12-year-old boy with a history of behavioral problems and acting out sexually.

School district attorney John Freund said the district will pay $50,000 toward the settlement with insurance policies covering the balance. The settlement includes all damages, attorney fees and court costs for the plaintiffs.

Texas Principal Could Get 20 Years in Jail for Planting Camera in Locker Room to Catch Coach Yelling

Denton, TX
A North Texas middle school principal is accused of placing a hidden video camera in a locker room during her daughter's high school basketball game to see how much the coach yelled at the players.

Wendee Long, 46, was indicted by a Denton County grand jury last week on two felony charges: improper photography or visual recording, and unlawful interception, use or disclosure of wire, oral or electronic communications -- what's commonly known as wiretapping, said assistant prosecutor Jamie Beck. The improper photography charge carries a punishment of 180 days to two years in a state jail, and the wiretapping charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Teachers Attacked by Students Show Signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Chicago, IL
Six years ago, Norma Brown, a Chicago Public Schools teacher for more than 30 years, took a stand against a fourth-grader who refused to remove his baseball hat in the school's lunchroom.

A fight ensued. A group of 11- and 12-year-olds surrounded Brown, yelling and cursing. One cocked his fist and punched her squarely in the left eye. Brown stumbled for the door and two girls, a sixth-grader and an eighth-grader, began punching and kicking her. She fought to remain standing.
"I knew that if I fell to the ground they would stomp on me," she said recently. "When you fall, you're dead meat."

What happened to Brown may be extreme, but police records show reports of violent attacks against teachers and school staff have risen sharply in Illinois over the past decade. As doctors and psychologists work to return these assault victims to the classrooms, there is growing acceptance that they may suffer more than physical injuries.

Sunscreen Forbidden at Schools and Camps

USA Today
When parents send children to school or camp, they may worry about many things, from bullies to bus accidents. But unauthorized sunscreen use?

• Jesse Michener says that as a result of school policy, daughter Violet, 11, was severely sunburned during an all-day field day.

It turns out that many schools and camps do that worrying for parents, with policies that ban kids from carrying sunscreen without a doctor's note and warn staffers not to dispense it. Such policies are getting new scrutiny this week, thanks to Jesse Michener, a mother in Tacoma, Wash., who was horrified to see two of her daughters, ages 11 and 9, return from a school field day with severe sunburns.

The girls have extremely fair skin, and none of the adults at the event offered them sunscreen — or shade, for that matter — as a rainy day turned sunny, Michener, 37, wrote in a post in her blog, Life.Photographed, that got nationwide attention. More than a week later, their skin still is peeling and red, Michener told USA TODAY Wednesday: "It's appalling."

DA Files Five Felony Counts against High School Teacher in Alleged Fontana Hazing

Fontana, CA
The high school masonry teacher and an 18-year-old student arrested in connection with alleged hazing at A.B. Miller High School were charged Tuesday with felony counts including child abuse and false imprisonment, prosecutors said.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office charged Emmanuel De La Rosa, 27, with child abuse, two counts of attempted sexual penetration by foreign object - one involving a minor victim older than 14 - and two counts of false imprisonment by violence and failure to report suspected child abuse to a child protective agency.

Student Fernando Salgado was charged with two counts of sexual penetration - one involving a minor victim older than 14 - and two counts of false imprisonment by violence.

The felony complaint states that there were two victims - John Doe No. 1 and John Doe No. 2.
Police said this week that the abuse was limited to one summer-school masonry class that began on May 31.

De La Rosa, police said, knew hazing was taking place and may even have directed it to discipline students in the summer school class.

Update: No Missing Kids, Despite Big Response to Reported Abduction

Boston, MA

Boston Police spent several hours yesterday scouring the Dudley Triangle after a report of a possible child abduction set off a huge response in the vicinity of the John Winthrop School on Brookford St.
Police say today that the report appears to have been false- and that no children have been reported missing overnight in the city of Boston.

The action started around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday when police were summoned to the Winthrop School. Three children who had been dismissed from the school returned to tell the principal that they witnessed an older while male stuffing a duffle bag into the trunk of a car on Hartford Street, about a block from the school. The witnesses— described by police as "very young"— claimed that they heard a girl screaming from the duffle bag. The suspect was described as driving away in a black sedan.

"All students at the school were accounted for, there was no indication of foul play and no missing children in the city," said Officer Grant. "We're handling it as an open investigation, but we're not sure the witnesses actually saw what they said they saw."

Take Tornado Watches Seriously

After a dynamic start to the tornado season, it has really quieted down some, with regard to severe storms.  This provides time to discuss some tornado preparedness issues.

Schools often overlook the tornado watch.  According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a tornado watch is "issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in and close to the watch area. They are usually issued for a duration of 4 to 8 hours. They normally are issued well in advance of the actual occurrence of severe weather. During the watch, people should review tornado safety rules and be prepared to move a place of safety if threatening weather approaches."  Schools will often overlook this because during a tornado watch, the sun may still be shining, and local conditions may still be pleasant.

This is the danger.  During a tornado watch, the weather may change quickly, and violently.  The types of storms that produce tornadoes often produce down-drafts that can send straight-line winds miles from the storm.  Thus, a beautiful day can change into one of carnage quickly.  This is what led to the Indiana State Fair (video) stage roof collapse tragedy last year. 

When a tornado watch is issued, curtail outdoor activities.  Give yourself access to weather radar and keep an eye on it.  Alert your staff, and have them be prepared to take shelter at a moment's notice.

Take tornado watches seriously.

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Police Investigating Yet Another Break-In at Scecina High School

Indianapolis, IN
Police are on the lookout for suspects responsible for another break-in at Scecina High School.
While someone did enter the school, officers don't believe anything was taken.

This isn't the first time the school has been broken into. Vandals hit the school back in April, causing a lot of damage. Three students were arrested for that incident.

School Bus Driver Beaten into Coma Dies

Bronx, NY
A 65-year-old school bus driver beaten into a coma has died, his family confirms.
Juan Del Valle had been at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx since a minor traffic accident turned into a horrific beating.

Police say Del Valle was driving a school bus when he clipped a car's side mirror. Police say the car's owner, ex-con Joey Scott, beat the 65-year-old grandfather into a coma.

Surveillance video caught the vicious attack two weeks ago. Del Valle was inching his school bus down a narrow street in the Tremont section of the Bronx when he hit the mirror.

Moments later, Scott confronted DelValle and punched him twice in the face.

Del Valle collapsed, and his head hits the pavement. He never came out of the coma. His family made the decision to remove him from life support this week.

Del Valle worked for 8 years transporting the children of New York City safely to and from school.