Violence And Vicmization At School

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). America’s youth are involved with violence as witnesses, victims, and perpetrators.
American schools are not immune from this violence. Our schools are far from being great places for learning; many schools have become dangerous places. It is not uncommon for violent incidents to occur in hallways, cafeterias, restrooms, and even classrooms. Violence in our schools is clearly an issue of pressing urgency.

Violence and Victimization at School

Despite claims that schools continue to be some of the safest places for children, recent school shootings have contributed to the perception that few places are safe anymore. No rural community, no well-to-do suburb, no daycare, elementary, or high school is immune to the potential impact of violence. Even if an individual school or district has well-developed safety plans, security personnel, metal detectors, and hotlines, children in those schools are regularly exposed to violence. Given the vast attention paid to the recent tragedies in places like Jonesboro and Columbine, every night on the local news and national news, every morning in the paper, every day in the conversations of parents and school staff, the very thought of what it means to a young child to “go to school” is disturbed. Violence at school can have a significant impact on young people, affecting their mental health, academic achievement, and overall socialization and adaptation.
What Constitutes School Violence
Violent behavior needs to be considered along a continuum of behavior, because what is considered violent for a first grader may be different from what is considered violent for a twelfth grader. With young elementary children, aggressive behavior such as kicking, hitting, spitting, or name-calling manifests violence. A child who engages in these kinds of behaviors typically does not get along with other children and does not do well in school, behaviorally or academically. These “early starter” ...