School Violence

Violence is a significant problem in schools today. Whether it deals with guns, knives, or just a little fight, school violence is more common than ever before.

Schools have always been one of the safest places in a child’s life, but are we sure that this is true anymore? The threat of attacks in schools create fear and disorder in students and teachers. Every year, three million students in the United States fall victim to crimes at school and almost two million of these incidents involve violence. In a study conducted in 1995, thirty-four percent of middle school students and twenty percent of high school students admitted that they feared becoming victims of school violence.

Seven percent of eighth graders have stayed home from school to avoid a bully. Eight percent of teachers say that they are threatened with violence at school on an average of once a month and two percent report being physically attacked each year (CRF

WebLesson).

Middle school students are more than twice as likely as high school students to be affected by school violence due to two reasons. First, middle school students are in an early adolescent state and are often physically hyperactive and haven’t learned acceptable social behavior. Second, middle school is the first time students come into contact with young people from different backgrounds and distant neighborhoods, which are very different to them( CRF WebLesson).

Many schools are seeing a need to stop the violence and are starting to enact discipline codes, conflict mediation, school uniforms, and increased security measures.

The most used discipline code has probably been a zero-tolerance policy such as the Gun-Free Schools Act. This was enacted in some form in all fifty states to create gun- free schools by suspending or expelling anybody with a gun at school. Some schools have gone further by enacting the same force with all weapons, drugs, and violence. Zero- tolerance policies also have big problems associated with them. When kids get expelled and they’re not in school any longer, they are on the streets getting in more trouble than they ever could at school. The major problem is inconsistent application and misinterpretation of the policies, when the policies are suddenly announced leaving no room for administrators judgment or students due-process rights(Guidance Channel).

Many schools have developed programs to build self-esteem and social skills to improve communication between students. In some schools, teachers and students are required to get to know each other in group discussion sessions. Educators believe that it is important to break down the cold, impersonal atmosphere of large schools by creating