We Advocate To

Provide and connect students with necessary behavioral and mental health resources at school and in their community

Improve access to and funding for qualified school-based health and wellness practitioners, such as school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists and school social workers

Encourage schools to refrain from arming educators and other school personnel

Require all decisions related to physical security measures—including the use of School Resource Officer (SRO) —to be locally determined, collaborative and incorporate input from students, parents, families, educators, school leaders and the community

Encourage schools to use positive school discipline policies and behavioral interventions and supports that are effective, fair and consistently implemented

The Data

34% of parents feared for their child’s safety at school in 2018, a 22% increase from 2013 [1]

76% of parents are more supportive of spending money on mental health services for students than spending money on armed guards in school ^[1]

63% of parents oppose allowing armed educators and staff in schools ^[1]

1 in 5 schools do not have a school counselor ^[2]

African American students are three times more likely to be suspended or expelled than white students ^[3]

Students with disabilities are twice as likely to receive an out of school suspension than students without disabilities ^[4]

[1] PDK Poll. (2018). 2018 PDK poll of the public’s attitudes toward the public schools: School security results. Arlington, VA: PDK Poll. [2] Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. (2016). 2013-2014 civil rights data collection. Washington, DC: Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/2013-14-first-look.pdf [3] Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. (2014). 2011-2012 civil rights data collection. Washington, DC: Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. https://ocrdata.ed.gov/Downloads/CRDC-School-Discipline-Snapshot.pdf [4] Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. (2018). 2015-2016 civil rights data collection. Washington, DC: Department of Education Office for Civil Rights https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/school-climate-and-safety.pdf [5] Cowan, K. C., Vaillancourt, K., Rossen, E., & Pollitt, K. (2013). A framework for safe and successful schools [Brief ]. Bethesda. MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

Voice From the Field

Marguerite Herman
Wyoming PTA

Marguerite Herman comes from a state where the school safety discussion tends to primarily focus on arming educators and “hardening” schools (adding physical security measures to school buildings, such as metal detectors). Marguerite passionately felt that the conversation around school safety in Wyoming—and across the country—was ignoring the deep need for mental health and student support services.

When Marguerite learned that the Federal Commission on School Safety was traveling to Wyoming to hear from the public about school safety, she was worried that the commission would only hear from those who support hardening schools. She knew she needed to take action, so she volunteered to testify before the commission on the importance of providing students with a positive school environment, behavioral and mental health services and ensuring parents are involved in all school safety-related decisions.

Marguerite’s testimony was heard by representatives of the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as members of the public who watched the listening session on livestream.