Safe and Nurturing Environments

Parents, policy makers, and education officials agree that schools should provide safe and nurturing environments for all students and teachers—and most schools do so. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005, students are less likely to be victims of violent crime at school than away from school. However, incidents of serious crime and violence do occur in a small percentage of schools, and bullying is a problem that has received increased attention in recent years. What is most troubling about school safety issues is that they affect more than just the direct victims. Incidents of crime, violence, and bullying can also disrupt the learning process and cause emotional and psychological damage to bystanders.

Parents are concerned about schools’ ability to address school safety problems and the complex mental health, social, and personal needs that students might face as a result of such problems. By coordinating services and involving parents, schools and communities can promote positive mental health and considerate behavior, identify issues that are interfering with a child’s mental and emotional well-being, counsel children and families to help resolve conflicts or deal with crises, and teach children behavior management skills. Federal programs such as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program and the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program support communities and schools in developing collaborative, comprehensive programs that create safe, disciplined, and drug-free environments.

Youth are the most victimized population in the United States, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The majority of victimizations at schools are thefts. While theft may not seem as severe as other crimes, any type of crime in the school environment contributes to the creation of a culture where students feel a sense of insecurity and vulnerability, which can interfere with learning. Although measurable acts of theft or violence have declined in recent years, problems associated with social climate and school culture appear to be on the rise.

Bullying, which has been the subject of many recent studies, is possibly the most troubling social climate issue. Bullying is defined as an aggressive behavior that results from a difference in power or strength. Bullying is often repeated over time. There are many different types of actions that constitute bullying. Cyberbullying—the use of cell phones, the Internet, or other types of technology to bully—is a growing problem. Cyberbullying is particularly troublesome because the degree to which today’s youth have incorporated technology into their daily lives makes it easy for a cyberbully to reach his or her victim often, and in many different ways.

Bullying and other social climate issues harm all who are involved, including bystanders. Those children who observe another child being bullied might begin to feel fearful themselves. Bystanders who don’t do anything might also feel guilt and anxiety. Furthermore, all students are bound to be distracted from learning if they are worried about a bully who might attack them or one of their friends. In general, a school where students display an obvious lack of respect for others, or where there is inconsistent discipline and consequences, is a breeding ground for bullying and other types of harassment, as well as theft and vandalism. In this type of situation, no one feels responsible for the school climate, so they don’t feel remorse for contributing to the negativity. Prevalent misbehavior by students also causes teachers to spend much of their time on discipline, leaving them less time to teach the other students.

Children who are bullied are more likely to have lower self-esteem and higher rates of depression, loneliness, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. They are also likely to dread going to school every day and, therefore, are more likely to be absent. In addition to the psychological harm caused by bullying, physical health problems of victims are a concern. Victims of frequent bullying are more likely to experience headaches, sleeping problems, and stomach ailments. Research also suggests that adults who were bullied as children are more likely to be depressed and have low self-esteem as adults.

Children who bully may be involved in other antisocial behaviors as well. They are more likely to steal or vandalize property, drink alcohol, smoke, or carry a weapon. Targeting positive interventions at those children who exhibit bullying behaviors can improve the school climate in multiple ways. (For more information about the effects of bullying, visit the Stop Bullying Now! website at www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/indexAdult.asp.)

Many states have begun to pass legislation that requires schools to enact policies that prevent bullying. At the federal level, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) includes a provision that requires states to identify “persistently dangerous schools,” and requires districts to offer the victims of violent crimes the option of transfering to another school within the district. States are allowed to create their own definitions of what constitutes a persistently dangerous school, and the criteria vary widely from state to state.

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program (reauthorized under Title IV, Part B, of NCLB) is designed to provide children at low-performing schools with expanded learning opportunities. This is done, in part, by funding community and school programs that provide youth development activities, drug and violence prevention programs, and counseling and character education. Schools can also apply for grants under the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program, which is the only federal program that helps school districts hire more school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, and appropriately trained psychologists or psychiatrists. These funds are awarded to the schools that demonstrate the greatest need for new or additional counseling services, demonstrate the potential for replication or dissemination of their programs, or propose the most innovative programs.

National PTA supports initiatives that foster a safe and supportive school climate. Such initiatives include violence and delinquency prevention, counseling programs, and health and welfare reforms that aid needy children and families. National PTA believes that school health and counseling programs and professionals should collaborate with their community counterparts. National PTA supports policies that teach respect for diversity. National PTA supports policies and programs that address the prevention, intervention, and elimination of bullying, as well as policies and programs that address the rehabilitation of youth that have entered the criminal justice system.

Talking Points

• Student achievement is related to safety. If students are worried about their safety while at school, they won’t be able to concentrate on their schoolwork. Further, the time that teachers are spending on school safety issues is time they could be spending helping their students learn.
• Parents must be involved in meaningful ways in the development, implementation, and evaluation of all programs designed to make schools safer.
• Even one incident of violence in a school is too many. Federal initiatives that promote collaborative approaches, enhance schools’ capacities to provide needed services, and train school personnel to identify and address early warning signs can reduce incidents of school violence.