School Violence

The issue that we are focusing on is school violence. As numbers of tragedy in school campuses are increasing, we feel like there is something we can do to help reduce and prevent violence occurring on campuses.

• 21 weeks into 2018, there have been a total of 23 school related shootings or acts of violence that have resulted in injury or death.

• More than 7% of 9th-12th graders have reported being threatened or injured with a weapon at least once in the last year- 6% of those threatened admitted to brining a weapon to school for protection

• A survey conducted by Pew Research Center found that at least 57% of students admitted to being scared to go to school due to violence on campus

We believe that the increase in school violence is due to the lack of safety officers and procedures implemented in schools. Because of the lack of security or training for teachers, schools are seen as 'soft targets'.

Our goal is to increase the number of safety procedures and officers in schools. By adding safety officers and procedures, we feel as if we can decrease the amount of violence on campus and help students to feel more comfortable on school grounds.

In order to help resolve this heartbreaking issue, we will create a program called Cops & Kids. Cops & Kids is a program to change how students perceive police and other authority figures. Instead of viewing the cops as people that aren’t friendly, who will only get you into trouble, we will try to build a program to create trusting relationships between police and students. Cops only try to keep us all safe, and out of trouble. We can create a safer, more comfortable environment if we are all familiar with each other. We will also offer a training program for teachers and staff so that they are prepared to defend themselves and others in a dire situation. We will increase said staff member's pay so that they have an incentive to attend these training programs.

Brycen: I learned that schools need more security.

Rhys: I learned that teachers need to be trained to watch over students and council students with mental illness to prevent school violence.

Luke: I learned that increased security makes me feel safer in school.

Madelyn: I learned that there are many things we can do to prevent school violence and that there are always things we can do to prevent it.

Avery: I learned that school violence is very common and affects a lot of people. I also learned that there is something we can do to help reduce it.

Enoch: I learned that school violence is very dangerous and people can be seriously hurt, or worse, and that is why we need to do something about reducing violence in schools.

Ryland: I learned that there are many different ways to protect ourselves and others, and that there are many different ways that we can help and make a difference in others lives.

Isabella: I learned that we need to increase school safety and security so that students can focus on school and not worry about getting hurt.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/42900489?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1999/05/28/the-real-root-cause-of-school-violence/4ea336a3-fc23-468c-8bd7-487f69ce1f53/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.9dc5de243330

http://www.teenviolencestatistics.com/content/causes-of-school-violence.html

http://www.teenviolencestatistics.com/content/teenage-violence-prevention.html

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephan-said/the-cause-of-school-shoot_b_8268078.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/14/school-shootings-in-america-2018-how-many-so-far

Spirit Solutions and Blue are two organizations that are using technology to try and prevent school violence.

We chose this issue because it is something that hits home for all of us. We all attend schools and most of us have been nervous or uneasy about our safety in the classroom at one time or another. We want to help other kids know that they don't have the be scared, and that there is something they can do about it, even as a tween!

1. Go the menti.com
2. Enter group code: 829826
3. Submit responses

Thank you!