NC House lawmakers tout school safety bill as nation's most comprehensive ...
News & Observer
lawmakers unveil school safety bill
WRAL.com
Boxer promotes school safety bill in SD
U-T San Diego
House bill addresses NC public school safety
News & Observer
Civil Rights Groups: School Safety Not Dependent on Guns
Education Week News
Local lawmakers' school safety bill would ask districts to help pay for the ...
Fayetteville Observer
Security expert: Local schools can't be made 100% safe
WRAL.com
Lake Travis ISD audits school safety
Austin News
NC bill addresses public school safety
WNCT
Preparedness is Key in School Safety Says Police, School Officials
Patch.com
School Safety Shield
Non en Meus Vigilo!
Showing posts with label preparedness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preparedness. Show all posts
Friday, March 29, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sunday, July 22, 2012
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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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?
Our Forum On
Saturday, June 30, 2012
I Learned Something New Today
The storms that passed through here yesterday were part of a 'derecho'. The Weather Channel explains it HERE. With the severe gusts we had as part of the storm, it was classified as a 'Super Derecho'.
Here is a graph that shows the frequency of occurrence by month:
These usually occur during mid-to late summer. The recent heat wave has increased the probability of occurrence.
The derecho yesterday started in northern Indiana, with a wind gust of 91mph recorded in Ft. Wayne. It took 12 hours to travel over 700 miles, almost 60mph. Millions were left without power, and 11 people died. The 91mph winds in Ft. Wayne are Category I hurricane winds.
An interesting phenomena, unfortunately people died, and property was destroyed. This gives me something else to study, and apply to school safety.
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Here is a graph that shows the frequency of occurrence by month:
These usually occur during mid-to late summer. The recent heat wave has increased the probability of occurrence.
The derecho yesterday started in northern Indiana, with a wind gust of 91mph recorded in Ft. Wayne. It took 12 hours to travel over 700 miles, almost 60mph. Millions were left without power, and 11 people died. The 91mph winds in Ft. Wayne are Category I hurricane winds.
An interesting phenomena, unfortunately people died, and property was destroyed. This gives me something else to study, and apply to school safety.
Our Forum On
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Top Summer Child Injuries Parents Should Know
Chicago, IL
More children will visit the emergency room this summer due to near-drownings than another other type of injury. The onslaught of summer and all of the fun kids have at parks and pools also brings unfortunate injuries and tragedies. The most common summertime child injuries result from unsafe playgrounds, bicycle accidents, burns from campfires and fireworks, motor vehicles, and water hazards at pools, beaches and lakes.
Throw in the two recent deaths from drownings here in Indianapolis, and the problem becomes deadly serious. The tragedy is that most injuries and deaths are preventable. Keep your children supervised when they are swimming. Don't assume their swimming ability will keep them alive, especially in unknown waters.
Supervision is key to prevent other injuries.
More children will visit the emergency room this summer due to near-drownings than another other type of injury. The onslaught of summer and all of the fun kids have at parks and pools also brings unfortunate injuries and tragedies. The most common summertime child injuries result from unsafe playgrounds, bicycle accidents, burns from campfires and fireworks, motor vehicles, and water hazards at pools, beaches and lakes.
Throw in the two recent deaths from drownings here in Indianapolis, and the problem becomes deadly serious. The tragedy is that most injuries and deaths are preventable. Keep your children supervised when they are swimming. Don't assume their swimming ability will keep them alive, especially in unknown waters.
Supervision is key to prevent other injuries.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
The Core of the Training Issue in Schools
RJ Hilton returns to continue the discussion.
"This is the core of the problem.
What this boils down to is you have a certain amount of time that districts will allow for training on emergency and safety situations. You’re already past the point where you don’t have enough time to train people on the really likely threats. When an event triggers media attention to rare threats, it just makes things worse. The fact is, even with what you are teaching, people are failing to meet minimum standards.
A focused killer can be difficult to comprehend and schools feel helpless to defend against it. People will grasp for straws to make it less scary. Believe it or not you can be as clear and concise as you possibly can but still not have the impact you’d like. Explaining to them not to get carried away because active shooter is only a very small possibility, doesn’t make them feel less helpless, no matter how clear and concise you are. It’s likely many have already made up their mind, what they want to hear. They are simply trying to decide who they want to hear it from. Michael Dorn says, more or less, let's discuss the issue more. Schools have to decide if that will be enough.
The question becomes how do you tell schools what they want to hear in a way that doesn't do damage but at the same time fixes what isn't working. Time available is important but more importantly is how that time is utilized. From my experience and what I'm hearing here, the people aren't really engaged during their normal routine. When they're required to make decisions on things other then what they are immediately focused on, they mentally have to switch gears. The problem is, it takes time and it happens in pieces, so reaction is spotty at best.
Resolving the problem doesn't normally take a lot of man hours but it does initially take a lot of follow up. It's a matter of getting people to increase their normal range of awareness in their everyday life. The question is, is that type of thing possible logistically considering the bureaucracy. It requires a few minutes every one or two months, demonstrating they are still being paid attention to and what they are doing is important."
In real, practical terms, this is the core of the problem. Schools have very little time to provide for staff and student training. High-stakes testing drives the curriculum, and time is at a premium. Should schools use what little time they have to prepare for something that, statistically speaking, will never happen? Or should they spend their precious time preparing for identified hazards?
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"This is the core of the problem.
What this boils down to is you have a certain amount of time that districts will allow for training on emergency and safety situations. You’re already past the point where you don’t have enough time to train people on the really likely threats. When an event triggers media attention to rare threats, it just makes things worse. The fact is, even with what you are teaching, people are failing to meet minimum standards.
A focused killer can be difficult to comprehend and schools feel helpless to defend against it. People will grasp for straws to make it less scary. Believe it or not you can be as clear and concise as you possibly can but still not have the impact you’d like. Explaining to them not to get carried away because active shooter is only a very small possibility, doesn’t make them feel less helpless, no matter how clear and concise you are. It’s likely many have already made up their mind, what they want to hear. They are simply trying to decide who they want to hear it from. Michael Dorn says, more or less, let's discuss the issue more. Schools have to decide if that will be enough.
The question becomes how do you tell schools what they want to hear in a way that doesn't do damage but at the same time fixes what isn't working. Time available is important but more importantly is how that time is utilized. From my experience and what I'm hearing here, the people aren't really engaged during their normal routine. When they're required to make decisions on things other then what they are immediately focused on, they mentally have to switch gears. The problem is, it takes time and it happens in pieces, so reaction is spotty at best.
Resolving the problem doesn't normally take a lot of man hours but it does initially take a lot of follow up. It's a matter of getting people to increase their normal range of awareness in their everyday life. The question is, is that type of thing possible logistically considering the bureaucracy. It requires a few minutes every one or two months, demonstrating they are still being paid attention to and what they are doing is important."
In real, practical terms, this is the core of the problem. Schools have very little time to provide for staff and student training. High-stakes testing drives the curriculum, and time is at a premium. Should schools use what little time they have to prepare for something that, statistically speaking, will never happen? Or should they spend their precious time preparing for identified hazards?
Our Forum On
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Is It Better to Release Students or Keep Them at the School?
In response to an ongoing discussion on keeping kids at school or releasing them, guest blogger RJ Hilton had the following thoughts:
Every solution to a problem has consequences. In the case of tornadoes, gathering people in one location increases the impact if something goes wrong. It does however reduce substantially the potential of threat exposure to the student body as a whole. The alternative of sending people home substantially increases the exposure period and the range of potential direct encounter to the point it’s unlikely some individuals could avoid one. As with any procedure, the more you have to do, the more chances of something going wrong. Consider the steps required to complete each process.
Moving students to a specific location or group of locations is a localized and immediate process with very little required in the way of external information before making a decision. It also involves no direct threat exposure. The alternative requires a series of detailed bits of information often unique to each student. The process is time consuming with a number of variables which creates a lot of unknowns.
If you’re in an area were tornadoes are rare then an administrator has the luxury of making a decision very early in the process, since it would likely only affect one school day. In an area where severe storm events and tornadoes are common, an administrator can’t afford to be sending people home at every indication of a storm. This means their window of opportunity to avoid an encounter decreases as time goes by.
Increasing the difficulty of the situation is the fact that administrators can’t just send everyone home arbitrarily. They have to decide which students are better off going home and which aren’t. Even if you have a list of students who have parents that are normally at home, you would have to confirm they were that particular day. If you’re lucky enough to have up-to-date phone numbers, it would still take some period of time to make the calls, not minutes. (Unless your district has a reverse-911 system.)
We must also consider, storms don’t have schedules, they can often accelerate in intensity much more rapidly then any one would expect. And once the decision has been made to take students home, how long will the process take can't be known for sure. In addition it's not just getting students delivered but getting school personnel back to safety. The process of moving students in less then ideal conditions opens up additional variables and hazards, not usually encountered on a normal day. Tornadoes are situations where time is essential, yet the potential for delays increase substantially due to the nature of the storms that precede them. Traffic or accidents could potentially leave students stranded and left in a dangerous situation.
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Every solution to a problem has consequences. In the case of tornadoes, gathering people in one location increases the impact if something goes wrong. It does however reduce substantially the potential of threat exposure to the student body as a whole. The alternative of sending people home substantially increases the exposure period and the range of potential direct encounter to the point it’s unlikely some individuals could avoid one. As with any procedure, the more you have to do, the more chances of something going wrong. Consider the steps required to complete each process.
Moving students to a specific location or group of locations is a localized and immediate process with very little required in the way of external information before making a decision. It also involves no direct threat exposure. The alternative requires a series of detailed bits of information often unique to each student. The process is time consuming with a number of variables which creates a lot of unknowns.
If you’re in an area were tornadoes are rare then an administrator has the luxury of making a decision very early in the process, since it would likely only affect one school day. In an area where severe storm events and tornadoes are common, an administrator can’t afford to be sending people home at every indication of a storm. This means their window of opportunity to avoid an encounter decreases as time goes by.
Increasing the difficulty of the situation is the fact that administrators can’t just send everyone home arbitrarily. They have to decide which students are better off going home and which aren’t. Even if you have a list of students who have parents that are normally at home, you would have to confirm they were that particular day. If you’re lucky enough to have up-to-date phone numbers, it would still take some period of time to make the calls, not minutes. (Unless your district has a reverse-911 system.)
We must also consider, storms don’t have schedules, they can often accelerate in intensity much more rapidly then any one would expect. And once the decision has been made to take students home, how long will the process take can't be known for sure. In addition it's not just getting students delivered but getting school personnel back to safety. The process of moving students in less then ideal conditions opens up additional variables and hazards, not usually encountered on a normal day. Tornadoes are situations where time is essential, yet the potential for delays increase substantially due to the nature of the storms that precede them. Traffic or accidents could potentially leave students stranded and left in a dangerous situation.
Our Forum On
Friday, June 1, 2012
Bullying/Suicide are Important Issues
New York City, NY
MSNBC is reporting that 12-year-old Joel Morales of New York City killed himself after being badly bullied in two different New York City Schools.
It is always a tragedy when a young person takes their life. It is worse when it is due to the actions of others. The finger of blame in these circumstances usually get pointed at the school. However, without more information, it would be brash to do so. Even the boy's youth minister wasn't aware of what was going on, and he only recently began talking to someone at the school.
Unrealistic expectations are often placed upon schools when it comes to combating bullying. Parents don't know, and youth ministers don't know, and school officials just recently found out, what is to be reasonably expected of schools to do? Or worse yet, the parents who know, don't inform the school until they've had enough, and then expect the school to put an immediate halt to the bullying that has been going on for weeks, months, or years?
My colleague Michael Dorn, in his latest BLOG, brings up six great points that will help schools. But the best way to help is to consider it a joint effort between parents, schools, mental health and public safety professionals.
I was bullied as a child. I contemplated suicide as a teen. The two were unrelated, but for some today it is related. As educators, the best way we can aid in preventing bullying and suicide is to develop connections with our students, so we have a better chance of knowing if something is amiss. We also want to use research-based bullying prevention programs to help our students develop the skills to communicate these difficult issues with us.
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MSNBC is reporting that 12-year-old Joel Morales of New York City killed himself after being badly bullied in two different New York City Schools.
It is always a tragedy when a young person takes their life. It is worse when it is due to the actions of others. The finger of blame in these circumstances usually get pointed at the school. However, without more information, it would be brash to do so. Even the boy's youth minister wasn't aware of what was going on, and he only recently began talking to someone at the school.
Unrealistic expectations are often placed upon schools when it comes to combating bullying. Parents don't know, and youth ministers don't know, and school officials just recently found out, what is to be reasonably expected of schools to do? Or worse yet, the parents who know, don't inform the school until they've had enough, and then expect the school to put an immediate halt to the bullying that has been going on for weeks, months, or years?
My colleague Michael Dorn, in his latest BLOG, brings up six great points that will help schools. But the best way to help is to consider it a joint effort between parents, schools, mental health and public safety professionals.
I was bullied as a child. I contemplated suicide as a teen. The two were unrelated, but for some today it is related. As educators, the best way we can aid in preventing bullying and suicide is to develop connections with our students, so we have a better chance of knowing if something is amiss. We also want to use research-based bullying prevention programs to help our students develop the skills to communicate these difficult issues with us.
Our Forum On
Monday, May 28, 2012
School Safety Consulting
I have recently finished as the Project Director of a Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) grant from the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools. I wrote a grant proposal for nearly $98,000, which was used to pay for a thorough facility assessment, supplies for teachers, some radio equipment for ourselves and a local private school, staff training, and a very thorough perception assessment that let us know how we did.
Apart from my primary goal of making our school corporation safer and better prepared, I was honored to meet many dedicated professionals in the school safety field. At the beginning of the grant period, I sent out a Request for Proposals (RFP). This lets consultants know what I need, and how much is available. They then submit proposals to see if what they offer will fit, and can be afforded.
Having previously been acquainted with several consultants, one of whom helped me with a previously unsuccessful REMS grant proposal, I decided to use a blind committee to screen the proposals. I had split up my grant into three sections; the assessment, the training, and the evaluation. Each section would initially have separate consultants, until I had a chance to identify gaps in our corporation's preparedness. Each proposal had all company references removed, and a panel of three administrators, none of whom were otherwise involved with the process and two of whom were certified Indiana School Safety Specialists, evaluated each proposal using a rubric developed for purpose.
As I stated earlier, I had developed working relationships, and even friendships, with several school safety consultants prior to this grant proposal. One helped me write my previous failed grant proposal, whose failure was all of my own doing. Another consultant helped me write the new proposal. There was nothing promised, nothing implied in the assistance. He was confident his company would be in the running, and I was removed from the selection process. He and several other consultants were called by me to inform them of the RFP.
Everyone I spoke to was gracious and grateful of the opportunity, except for the consultant who had assisted me on the prior grant proposal. He recognized some language in the proposal from a competitor, and became quite hostile on the phone. I was taken a bit aback, as I had thought we had a good relationship, indicated by the personal phone call to deliver the RFP. I was puzzled, as he had done a similar thing for me a couple of years earlier. At the end of the call, I specifically asked the consultant if this meant that he was not going to participate in the RFP. He said that he would absolutely NOT participate under "these conditions".
That evening I received an email from him, sent to my superintendent of schools and the Board of School Trustees President, and cc'd to me. It accused me of unethical behavior, as well as rule violations. The next morning I contacted my Federal Project Officer and informed her of the phone call. She asked me for details, which I provided, and the only thing she asked me to do was make sure I had a written process for appeals, which I was more than glad to do.
In the end, the committee selected three companies for the grant. Each consultant that participated was called and informed. Each consultant graciously thanked me for the opportunity, and asked that I keep them in mind for future endeavors. Not one appeal was filed.
During the course of the grant activities, I had the opportunity to collaborate with another REMS recipient whose school corporation was adjacent to mine. During the training, the REMS Project Director for that corporation and I talked about the problems we faced as Project Directors. I told her the above story, and she looked at me in amazement and said that was odd, as that consultant had helped her write her grant proposal. She was less then thrilled with this consultant's work on her grant, which included taking less time to conduct a security assessment of her high school than it would have taken me to just walk through it. We shook our heads at the apparent insanity of the school safety world, and got back to work.
The long and short of it is this: there are many dedicated school safety consultants out there. You have to be careful not to hook up with one like I describe above. Check references, read their blogs. A person's writing can tell you a lot about a person, especially over the long-term. While consultants need to talk themselves up a bit, is that all their writing is about? Do they offer true insights, or do they tear people down? Do they build capacity in schools, or do they need to return for 'refreshers'? Ask around, people who have dealt with consultants can tell you what kind of job they've done, and how they conducted themselves during their work.
Ask yourself, if I were to hire this person to care for my kids, what information would I want to know, and then find that information. The children in schools are yours, by proxy, so make sure the ones who work to keep them safe are quality people. Make sure they know what they're doing, and ask what their background is in education. If they are former law enforcement, check on their law enforcement record. Prior military? Check on their military record. Ask, and see how they take your question. Remember, past behavior is a good indicator of future performance.
I was honored to meet and talk to the numerous school safety professionals during the course of my REMS grant. There are always a few bad apples in every profession. In the end, quality will show, both in performance and in character.
Take the time to check out both.
Apart from my primary goal of making our school corporation safer and better prepared, I was honored to meet many dedicated professionals in the school safety field. At the beginning of the grant period, I sent out a Request for Proposals (RFP). This lets consultants know what I need, and how much is available. They then submit proposals to see if what they offer will fit, and can be afforded.
Having previously been acquainted with several consultants, one of whom helped me with a previously unsuccessful REMS grant proposal, I decided to use a blind committee to screen the proposals. I had split up my grant into three sections; the assessment, the training, and the evaluation. Each section would initially have separate consultants, until I had a chance to identify gaps in our corporation's preparedness. Each proposal had all company references removed, and a panel of three administrators, none of whom were otherwise involved with the process and two of whom were certified Indiana School Safety Specialists, evaluated each proposal using a rubric developed for purpose.
As I stated earlier, I had developed working relationships, and even friendships, with several school safety consultants prior to this grant proposal. One helped me write my previous failed grant proposal, whose failure was all of my own doing. Another consultant helped me write the new proposal. There was nothing promised, nothing implied in the assistance. He was confident his company would be in the running, and I was removed from the selection process. He and several other consultants were called by me to inform them of the RFP.
Everyone I spoke to was gracious and grateful of the opportunity, except for the consultant who had assisted me on the prior grant proposal. He recognized some language in the proposal from a competitor, and became quite hostile on the phone. I was taken a bit aback, as I had thought we had a good relationship, indicated by the personal phone call to deliver the RFP. I was puzzled, as he had done a similar thing for me a couple of years earlier. At the end of the call, I specifically asked the consultant if this meant that he was not going to participate in the RFP. He said that he would absolutely NOT participate under "these conditions".
That evening I received an email from him, sent to my superintendent of schools and the Board of School Trustees President, and cc'd to me. It accused me of unethical behavior, as well as rule violations. The next morning I contacted my Federal Project Officer and informed her of the phone call. She asked me for details, which I provided, and the only thing she asked me to do was make sure I had a written process for appeals, which I was more than glad to do.
In the end, the committee selected three companies for the grant. Each consultant that participated was called and informed. Each consultant graciously thanked me for the opportunity, and asked that I keep them in mind for future endeavors. Not one appeal was filed.
During the course of the grant activities, I had the opportunity to collaborate with another REMS recipient whose school corporation was adjacent to mine. During the training, the REMS Project Director for that corporation and I talked about the problems we faced as Project Directors. I told her the above story, and she looked at me in amazement and said that was odd, as that consultant had helped her write her grant proposal. She was less then thrilled with this consultant's work on her grant, which included taking less time to conduct a security assessment of her high school than it would have taken me to just walk through it. We shook our heads at the apparent insanity of the school safety world, and got back to work.
The long and short of it is this: there are many dedicated school safety consultants out there. You have to be careful not to hook up with one like I describe above. Check references, read their blogs. A person's writing can tell you a lot about a person, especially over the long-term. While consultants need to talk themselves up a bit, is that all their writing is about? Do they offer true insights, or do they tear people down? Do they build capacity in schools, or do they need to return for 'refreshers'? Ask around, people who have dealt with consultants can tell you what kind of job they've done, and how they conducted themselves during their work.
Ask yourself, if I were to hire this person to care for my kids, what information would I want to know, and then find that information. The children in schools are yours, by proxy, so make sure the ones who work to keep them safe are quality people. Make sure they know what they're doing, and ask what their background is in education. If they are former law enforcement, check on their law enforcement record. Prior military? Check on their military record. Ask, and see how they take your question. Remember, past behavior is a good indicator of future performance.
I was honored to meet and talk to the numerous school safety professionals during the course of my REMS grant. There are always a few bad apples in every profession. In the end, quality will show, both in performance and in character.
Take the time to check out both.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Woman Accused of Instigating Fight at Richmond Academy is Arrested
Augusta, GA
Laura Leah Davis, 31, is charged with criminal trespass, simple battery, simple assault, reckless conduct and disrupting a public school, according to Patrick Clayton, the chief of the county school system’s Department of School Safety and Security.
Clayton said Davis “involved herself in an affray in front of the school,” a fight that was captured on a cellphone video and posted online. At one point, Davis pulled one student off another so the second student could attack, Clayton said.
Laura Leah Davis, 31, is charged with criminal trespass, simple battery, simple assault, reckless conduct and disrupting a public school, according to Patrick Clayton, the chief of the county school system’s Department of School Safety and Security.
Clayton said Davis “involved herself in an affray in front of the school,” a fight that was captured on a cellphone video and posted online. At one point, Davis pulled one student off another so the second student could attack, Clayton said.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
School Bus Crashes into Home in Carmel
Carmel, IN
A school bus crashed into a house in Carmel Wednesday morning.
Chopper 8 flew over the scene and a bus appeared to have collided with the corner of a brick home. The bus appeared to have been southbound on Gray Road when it left the roadway and went through a fence and backyard before striking the corner of the home's attached garage.
Officials with Carmel Clay Schools said no children were on the bus. The school bus driver suffered minor injuries and was being taken to a local hospital. School spokesman Tricia Reynolds said the school system will investigate the incident.
A school bus crashed into a house in Carmel Wednesday morning.
Chopper 8 flew over the scene and a bus appeared to have collided with the corner of a brick home. The bus appeared to have been southbound on Gray Road when it left the roadway and went through a fence and backyard before striking the corner of the home's attached garage.
Officials with Carmel Clay Schools said no children were on the bus. The school bus driver suffered minor injuries and was being taken to a local hospital. School spokesman Tricia Reynolds said the school system will investigate the incident.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Fleeing Suspect Causes Two Springfield Schools to Go Into Lockdown
Springfield, MA
Lockdowns have been lifted at two Springfield schools after a suspect flees a neighboring home.
Springfield Police Sgt. John Delaney says that Monday morning, officers were trying to serve an arrest warrant on 36-year-old Gerald Williams at 86 Bowles Street.
When officers arrived, Williams took off, running into the neighborhood, and officers gave chase.
Early reports indicated that the search may have been related to an attempted abduction. However, Delaney stresses that there was no attempted abduction.
With a concern that Williams may run into neighboring schools, the Rebecca Johnson School on Catherine Street and the Ellis School on Cortland Street were put on a perimeter lockdown for a short time. According to school officials, a perimeter lockdown means that classes continue as scheduled, but nobody is allowed into or out of the school building.
Lockdowns have been lifted at two Springfield schools after a suspect flees a neighboring home.
Springfield Police Sgt. John Delaney says that Monday morning, officers were trying to serve an arrest warrant on 36-year-old Gerald Williams at 86 Bowles Street.
When officers arrived, Williams took off, running into the neighborhood, and officers gave chase.
Early reports indicated that the search may have been related to an attempted abduction. However, Delaney stresses that there was no attempted abduction.
With a concern that Williams may run into neighboring schools, the Rebecca Johnson School on Catherine Street and the Ellis School on Cortland Street were put on a perimeter lockdown for a short time. According to school officials, a perimeter lockdown means that classes continue as scheduled, but nobody is allowed into or out of the school building.
Friday, May 18, 2012
SWAT Situation near Shawnee High School
Louisville, KY
A report of shots fired near Shawnee High School turned into a SWAT situation Friday afternoon at a house at 41stand Larkwood Avenue in Louisville's west end.
A MetroSafe dispatcher said police chased two young men who were shooting at each other near the school around 12:40 p.m.
Police said they arrested a 15-year-old suspect. The second suspect barricaded himself inside a house, and a SWAT team was called to the scene. A daycare center is located across the street.
Nearby Shawnee High School at 4018 West Market Street remained at a heightened security level Friday afternoon.
Jefferson County Public Schools officials were notified at 12:44 p.m. JCPS spokesperson Lauren Roberts said Shawnee High School's heightened security level remained at level 3 immediately following the incident.
A report of shots fired near Shawnee High School turned into a SWAT situation Friday afternoon at a house at 41stand Larkwood Avenue in Louisville's west end.
A MetroSafe dispatcher said police chased two young men who were shooting at each other near the school around 12:40 p.m.
Police said they arrested a 15-year-old suspect. The second suspect barricaded himself inside a house, and a SWAT team was called to the scene. A daycare center is located across the street.
Nearby Shawnee High School at 4018 West Market Street remained at a heightened security level Friday afternoon.
Jefferson County Public Schools officials were notified at 12:44 p.m. JCPS spokesperson Lauren Roberts said Shawnee High School's heightened security level remained at level 3 immediately following the incident.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Louisiana High School Student Arrested For Terrorizing
Louisiana
A 17-year-old student at Parkway High School has been arrested after school officials found a posting on Facebook describing violent threats to the high school.
Nolan Asszony, 17, of the 2000 block of Ray Avenue in Bossier City, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of terrorizing after posting a detailed sketch and information of planned acts of violence at the school that would take place at Parkway High School at a later date, a release from the Bossier sheriff’s office says.
Asszony told deputies he made the posting to Facebook around 4 p.m. Tuesday “so people could see how he draws and what he’s into,” the release said. Deputies say the posting went into great detail on how Asszony would carry out his plan of violence.
A 17-year-old student at Parkway High School has been arrested after school officials found a posting on Facebook describing violent threats to the high school.
Nolan Asszony, 17, of the 2000 block of Ray Avenue in Bossier City, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of terrorizing after posting a detailed sketch and information of planned acts of violence at the school that would take place at Parkway High School at a later date, a release from the Bossier sheriff’s office says.
Asszony told deputies he made the posting to Facebook around 4 p.m. Tuesday “so people could see how he draws and what he’s into,” the release said. Deputies say the posting went into great detail on how Asszony would carry out his plan of violence.
Viral Violence Feeds School Bullies' Buzz, Experts Warn
Fox News
They are the schoolyard squabbles gone viral, earning students widespread notoriety with the flick of a finger.
And now psychologists are warning the abundance of cell phones in schools only encourages children to act up—and the devices should be banned.
Experts are concerned by a worrying trend of students filming arranged fights and sending threatening or inappropriate images of each other on their phones.
They are the schoolyard squabbles gone viral, earning students widespread notoriety with the flick of a finger.
And now psychologists are warning the abundance of cell phones in schools only encourages children to act up—and the devices should be banned.
Experts are concerned by a worrying trend of students filming arranged fights and sending threatening or inappropriate images of each other on their phones.
Eastlake High Student Charged for Assaulting 10-Year-Old
Eastlake, WA
A 16-year-old Eastlake High School student was charged Monday for indecent liberties with a 10-year-old girl – and police say he was captured after an alert neighbor took his picture.
It was about 4:15 p.m. May 7 when the girl was getting off the school bus near Northeast 2nd Street and 22nd Avenue Northeast in Sammamish. The girl told police the teen suspect put his hands in her crotch and made a lewd, sexual comment and tightened his grip on her arm.
A 16-year-old Eastlake High School student was charged Monday for indecent liberties with a 10-year-old girl – and police say he was captured after an alert neighbor took his picture.
It was about 4:15 p.m. May 7 when the girl was getting off the school bus near Northeast 2nd Street and 22nd Avenue Northeast in Sammamish. The girl told police the teen suspect put his hands in her crotch and made a lewd, sexual comment and tightened his grip on her arm.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Police: Easton High School Attack Plot Thwarted
Easton, MD
Authorities have arrested an Easton High School student accused of planning on using explosive devices and firearms to attack the building and students.
The Talbot County Sheriff's Office reports that on Wednesday, April 25, Easton High School officials received information that a current student at the school was planning an attack on the building and students. The information was initially reported to the Easton Police Department. This initial report and information later led to a location in Talbot County, which involved the Sheriff's Office and the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office. The Sheriff's Office later took primary control of the investigation.
Investigators said that through the course of initial and followup interviews, the student at the center of the threat was interviewed and subsequently arrested on April 25. The student was detained and charged as a juvenile with the crimes of false statement to detonate an explosive device, and manufacture and/or possession of a destructive device. The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services took custody of the child on the day of the arrest. The student was held in detention pending a formal juvenile detention hearing in the Talbot County Circuit Court.
Authorities have arrested an Easton High School student accused of planning on using explosive devices and firearms to attack the building and students.
The Talbot County Sheriff's Office reports that on Wednesday, April 25, Easton High School officials received information that a current student at the school was planning an attack on the building and students. The information was initially reported to the Easton Police Department. This initial report and information later led to a location in Talbot County, which involved the Sheriff's Office and the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office. The Sheriff's Office later took primary control of the investigation.
Investigators said that through the course of initial and followup interviews, the student at the center of the threat was interviewed and subsequently arrested on April 25. The student was detained and charged as a juvenile with the crimes of false statement to detonate an explosive device, and manufacture and/or possession of a destructive device. The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services took custody of the child on the day of the arrest. The student was held in detention pending a formal juvenile detention hearing in the Talbot County Circuit Court.
Anti-Child Pornography Digest Part III 5-14-12
Indianapolis, IN
Joseph H. Hogsett, the United States Attorney, announced today that former FBI agent Donald J. Sachtleben, age 54, of Carmel, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing and distributing child pornography.
“The mission of our Project Safe Childhood initiative is to investigate and prosecute anyone found to engaged in the sexual exploitation of children,” Hogsett said. “Today’s announcement underscores this serious commitment and should make clear that no matter who you are, you will be brought to justice if you are found guilty of such criminal behavior.”
According to the criminal complaint unsealed today, federal and state law enforcement became aware of an individual allegedly trading images of child pornography online in September 2010. An extensive investigation into that individual led to the arrest of a defendant in Illinois in January 2012. Upon arrest, a forensic search of that defendant’s computer equipment and e-mail accounts allegedly revealed that he had been actively trading such materials online with numerous other people.
Detroit, MI
Gregory Francis Austin, 32, of Chesterfield Township, was arrested and charged today with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.
According to the criminal complaint, Austin was employed by the Fraser School District in 2005 as a band instructor and became a classroom teacher in 2006. On March 19, 2012, Austin was arrested by the Roseville Police Department for his involvement in a drug transaction. As a result of that arrest and further investigation, law enforcement searched his cell phone and discovered numerous images of suspected child pornography. Detectives also found inappropriate non-pornographic images of suspected minors, text messages that were sexual in nature that appeared to involve minors, and two pornographic videos, one of which depicted a minor. The images included both male and female minors.
Joseph H. Hogsett, the United States Attorney, announced today that former FBI agent Donald J. Sachtleben, age 54, of Carmel, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing and distributing child pornography.
“The mission of our Project Safe Childhood initiative is to investigate and prosecute anyone found to engaged in the sexual exploitation of children,” Hogsett said. “Today’s announcement underscores this serious commitment and should make clear that no matter who you are, you will be brought to justice if you are found guilty of such criminal behavior.”
According to the criminal complaint unsealed today, federal and state law enforcement became aware of an individual allegedly trading images of child pornography online in September 2010. An extensive investigation into that individual led to the arrest of a defendant in Illinois in January 2012. Upon arrest, a forensic search of that defendant’s computer equipment and e-mail accounts allegedly revealed that he had been actively trading such materials online with numerous other people.
Detroit, MI
Gregory Francis Austin, 32, of Chesterfield Township, was arrested and charged today with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.
According to the criminal complaint, Austin was employed by the Fraser School District in 2005 as a band instructor and became a classroom teacher in 2006. On March 19, 2012, Austin was arrested by the Roseville Police Department for his involvement in a drug transaction. As a result of that arrest and further investigation, law enforcement searched his cell phone and discovered numerous images of suspected child pornography. Detectives also found inappropriate non-pornographic images of suspected minors, text messages that were sexual in nature that appeared to involve minors, and two pornographic videos, one of which depicted a minor. The images included both male and female minors.
Carriers and Federal Gov Kick Off Emergency Alerts
Nationwide
The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) service, a joint effort between U.S. wireless network operators and the federal government, officially launches this month. The WEA will deliver text message warnings to cell phone users based on a number of potential hazards, including tornadoes, flash floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, dust storms, extreme winds, blizzards, and ice storms. The messages are delivered based on location, so even those who are traveling will receive alerts for where they are, not where they live, if there's danger. Carriers participating in the program include AT&T, Cellcom, Cricket, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless. "These text alerts will be very brief, under 90 characters," said National Weather Service spokeswoman Susan Buchanan in an interview with USA Today.
The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) service, a joint effort between U.S. wireless network operators and the federal government, officially launches this month. The WEA will deliver text message warnings to cell phone users based on a number of potential hazards, including tornadoes, flash floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, dust storms, extreme winds, blizzards, and ice storms. The messages are delivered based on location, so even those who are traveling will receive alerts for where they are, not where they live, if there's danger. Carriers participating in the program include AT&T, Cellcom, Cricket, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless. "These text alerts will be very brief, under 90 characters," said National Weather Service spokeswoman Susan Buchanan in an interview with USA Today.
Anti-Child Pornography Digest Part II 5-14-12
Washington, D.C.
Brandon Rock, 32, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to a prison term of 14 years and four months after earlier pleading guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr. announced.
According to a factual proffer of evidence presented during the plea proceedings, on June 9, 2011, an MPD member of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, who was operating undercover as part of the investigation, communicated with Rock by instant messenger over the Internet. During the course of the communications over the next several days, Rock sent the undercover several still images of a minor girl, which Rock had filmed. Rock also sent the undercover six additional images of child pornography.
Brandon Rock, 32, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to a prison term of 14 years and four months after earlier pleading guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr. announced.
According to a factual proffer of evidence presented during the plea proceedings, on June 9, 2011, an MPD member of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, who was operating undercover as part of the investigation, communicated with Rock by instant messenger over the Internet. During the course of the communications over the next several days, Rock sent the undercover several still images of a minor girl, which Rock had filmed. Rock also sent the undercover six additional images of child pornography.
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