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Because reports about school safety often dominate the media, many Americans believe that public schools are dangerous places. For example, in 1994, Public Agenda, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and education organization, surveyed the American public on a variety of educational issues. The lead finding was that a majority of Americans do not feel that the public schools are providing a safe and orderly environment, along with effective teaching of the basics. Many also believe that the schools are partly responsible for these problems because they do an inadequate job of disciplining children and giving children a strong sense of right and wrong.
Although these perceptions exist, a 1998 study by the National Center for Education Statistics cautions us against concluding that crime and violence are rampant in America’s public schools (Violence and Discipline Problems in U.S. Public Schools: 1996-97). U. S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley notes that most schools remain safe havens for children, and that 90 percent of schools are free of serious violent crime.
Significant findings from this study include:
A further look at the data collected in this study offers some of the most valid and reliable evidence available about the types of behaviors occurring in the public schools. Although there are problems in all schools, relatively few principals say that their schools are experiencing the most serious kinds of inappropriate student behaviors.
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Public Perceptions of Safety and Violence
The significance that the public assigns to safety in judging schools is shown in statewide polling data collected by WEAC. In 1994, it was found that of 600 Wisconsin adults who participated in a statewide survey, every adult said that safety was important in determining whether or not a school was a good school (98 percent said safety was “very important;” 2 percent said it was “somewhat important”).
Citizens in Wisconsin also feel that safety and discipline problems in the public schools have deteriorated over time. In a 1996 poll, it was shown that 36 percent of adults said conditions had worsened during the past five years, whereas 17 percent of adults said conditions had improved (one-third said they are about the same). The rest (13%) did not know.
Likewise, in a 1998 poll of Wisconsin’s citizens conducted by WEAC, it was found that most adults believe that the public schools they attended were better than the schools today. When asked why this was the case, issues related to discipline and safety were frequently cited: 28 percent said because of better discipline; 20 percent said because they were safer, 6 percent said schools were better because there were less drugs.
Given these findings, it is not surprising that the annual Phi Delta Kappan/Gallup Poll on the public’s attitudes toward public schools has found that a handful of problems, typically related to drugs, discipline, and safety, tend to be cited as some of the most serious ones facing the public schools. Relatively few adults expressed concerns about such matters as overcrowding, attracting quality teachers, or the condition of school facilities. This does not mean, of course, that the public has no interest in these issues; it simply reminds us that safety, violence, and discipline are their most important concerns.
The table below shows the Phi Delta Kappan/Gallup results for 1997 and 1998 (Rose and Gallup, 1997, 1998).
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Other findings by the Phi Delta Kappan/Gallup Poll that relate to issues of safety, violence, and discipline follow. Although some findings are a few years old, there is little reason to believe that opinions have changed much.
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The Perspectives of Wisconsin’s Teachers on Safety and Discipline
In early 1996, 499 teacher members of WEAC were surveyed to determine their experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of safety, discipline, and violence (Allen and Leverich, 1996). Significant findings follow.
Most teachers are concerned about student disruptions
Overall, nearly two-thirds of teachers (63%) say that disruptive behavior on the part of students is a “somewhat” or “very serious” problem. The remainder (38%) say that student disruptive behavior is “not a serious problem.”
Those in suburban school districts are less likely to express concerns about disruptive student behaviors than are urban and rural/small town teachers. Fifty-four percent of suburban teachers feel that student disruptive behaviors are a “very” or “somewhat” serious problem. The figures for rural/small town and urban are 60 percent and 75 percent respectively.
Teachers express concerns about special needs students
Members of the public have serious reservations about programs that place students with special needs into regular classrooms. Teachers also are concerned, as shown by the fact that nearly 40 percent of teachers report that “most” or “almost all” behavior problems are caused by students with special needs. (Statewide, students with special needs represent more than 12 percent of all students). Other responses include “almost none” (11%), “none at all” (3%), and “some” (46%).
Conditions are more difficult today
Teachers were asked two questions about changes in student behavior and safety/security over the past five years. Approximately one-fourth (26%) feel that safety and security are worse than they were five years earlier. In contrast, nearly one-half of teachers (46%) feel that student disruptions are worse.
Teachers are worried about future conditions
Most teachers are not optimistic about their future safety and security. Only 4 percent feel that in five years they will be safer in or around their school. In contrast, approximately one-third (35%) expect conditions to worsen. The remainder say that things will be “about the same” (57%) or that they “don’t know” (4%). Analysis shows that urban teachers (39%) are only somewhat more likely to have a pessimistic view of future conditions than are rural/small town (30%) or suburban teachers (38%).
Overall, teachers feel safe
Despite these negative perceptions about current and future conditions, 81 percent of teachers report that at this time they feel “very safe” while inside their school building. An additional 18 percent say they feel “somewhat safe.” Likewise, most teachers feel safe in the vicinity of their school; 77 percent say they are “very safe,” while 20 percent report feeling “somewhat safe.”
Many teachers worry about the safety of their students
When asked about the extent to which they worry about the safety of their students, 25 percent of teachers say they “worry a great deal” when the students are not in school. Sixty-two percent say they “worry a little.” A smaller percent (9%) say they “worry a great deal” about their students when they are in the school building. However, 40 percent say they “worry a little.”
A minority of teachers report attacks, threats, or property damage
Over the course of the 1994-95 and 1995-96 school years, between 13 percent and 16 percent of teachers report that they either were attacked by a student, received a threatening or obscene telephone call, or had damage to personal property. Of those who report a physical attack (66 persons, or 13%), nearly one-third were “attacked” in the process of breaking up a fight between students.
While a few teachers report multiple incidents, most report only a single event. For example, 40 teachers (8%) reported one incident of a physical attack; however, 14 persons reported two incidents, six teachers reported three incidents, and six reported four or more incidents. A similar pattern exists for obscene/threatening telephone calls and property damage.
Breaking up fights/disciplining students can be risky
Over the course of their entire teaching career, 15 percent of teachers report that they have been injured at least once as a result of breaking up a fight or disciplining students.
Disruptive behaviors negatively affect the lives of many teachers
Those who experienced an attack, obscene/threatening telephone call, or property damage were asked about the impact of these experiences on their lives.
The fewest number report missing work or being injured (14% each), while 52 percent say they experienced a “conflict” with a parent as a result of student encounters. At the other extreme, 79 percent report experiencing stress (in the form of headaches, worry, or anxiety), while 78 percent sought advice or help from another person. Finally, 70 percent say they changed their behaviors to prevent future encounters.
One in five teachers say they were “not satisfied at all” with the way the problem was handled by the administration and/or school board. A higher percent (33%) say they were “very satisfied,” while the greatest proportion (38%) say they were “somewhat” satisfied.
Most teachers have not experienced gang- or alcohol- related disruptions
During the past two school years, 26 percent of teachers report that they have “personally witnessed or experienced” a gang-related disruption or violence. More urban teachers (39%) report seeing gang-related activity than suburban (25%) or rural/small town teachers (20%).
A greater proportion of teachers, 38 percent, indicate that they have personally witnessed or experienced drug- or alcohol- related disruptions. Just as many rural/small town teachers (40%) report drug-related incidents as urban teachers (41%). Suburban teachers (33%) were least likely to witness alcohol-related problems.
Teachers try many different strategies to address violence, safety, and discipline problems
Teachers were asked to indicate how they deal with inappropriate student behaviors. Nearly all teachers (97%) say they are “very” or “somewhat likely” to discuss a behavior problem with the student. Likewise, a very high proportion (91%) say that they are “very” or “somewhat likely” to employ different classroom management strategies, including new seating arrangements, behavior contracts, and reward systems. Different teaching or instructional strategies also were tried by 87 percent of teachers.
Slightly smaller percentages of teachers are “very” or “somewhat likely” to contact the student’s parents (79%), while 73 percent say they are “very” or “somewhat likely” to discuss the problem with an administrator.
Most schools have adopted new policies and procedures
Three-fourths of teachers report that in recent years their school has established new programs or procedures to address problems of safety and security. The programs or procedures are listed in the table below.
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Teachers want additional staff development
Additional staff development by school districts appears to be appropriate because 55 percent of teachers say they need additional training to deal more effectively with the problems of discipline and safety. Likewise, staff development programs may help address a problem identified by two-thirds of teachers — that there are “some teachers in the building who need to treat students with more respect.”
Clear consequences/smaller classes seen as most effective
When asked about strategies to deal with safety and discipline problems, 78 percent of teachers thought that two of the most important ones were to establish more consistent enforcement of rules and regulations and to have smaller class sizes. Other policies are shown below.
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A related question asked teachers to name two specific changes that they believe would improve safety and security in their school building. There were nine changes that were most frequently mentioned. Each is listed below.
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Conclusion
It is not surprising to learn that for many Americans safety, violence, and discipline are perceived as the most serious problems facing American public education. Some, of course, blame the schools whenever students behave inappropriately, perhaps suggesting that educators are indifferent to, or incapable of dealing with, improper behavior. However, most understand that schools simply mirror the larger society. In recent years, schools have taken numerous steps to reduce student behavior problems, including improving building security and implementing programs to help students resolve their problems in nonviolent ways. Although these types of programs can be effective, we need to remember that schools are part of the larger community. It is unrealistic to expect educators by themselves to solve problems that they did not create.
— Division for Instruction and Professional Development
Internet Sources on Violence and Safety
Stopping School Violence: lists things that parents, students, teachers, law enforcement personnel, principals, and the rest of us can do to stop violence: www.ncpc.org/2schvio1.htm
Schools Coalition Inc: a nonprofit organization dedicated to making communities safe: www.ed.mtu.edu/safe/
Keep Schools Safe: sponsored by the National Association of Attorneys General and the National School Boards Association: www.keepschoolssafe.org/
Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools: a guide developed by the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice to help identify early indicators of troubling/dangerous behaviors in youth: www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/earlywrn.html
National PTA: Provides information on school violence. Also provides links to other sources: www.pta.org/ Center for Safe Schools and Communities: Provides information on school and community-based prevention programs: http://nnic.com/safeschools.html
National Alliance for Safe Schools: provides training and technical assistance: www.safeschools.org/
Youth Crime Watch: an organization which helps youths reduce crime in their schools and community: www.ycwa.org/
Ribbon of Promise: a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending school violence: www.ribbonofpromise.org/
Centers for Disease Control: contains a fact sheet on school violence: www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/fact/violence.htm
SchoolNet: provides information on numerous educational issues, including school violence: www.school.net/
Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, New York University: provides research on violence: www.nyu.edu/education/metrocenter/violence/frdef1.htm
Sources
Allen, Russ and Leverich, Jeff. Safety, Violence, and Discipline: The Attitudes Perceptions, and Experiences of WEAC’s Teacher Members. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Education Association Council, 1996.
Elam, Stanley M., et al. “The 27th Annual Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools.” Phi Delta Kappan (September 1995): 41-56. The 1996 results are found in the September, 1996 issue.
Heaviside, Sheila; Rowland, Cassandra; Williams, Catrina, et al. Violence and Discipline Problems in U.S. Public Schools: 1996-97. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics, 1998. This report can be found on the internet at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/violence/index/html.
Rose, Lowell E. and Alec M. Gallup. “The 30th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward Public Schools.” Phi Delta Kappan (September 1998): 41-58. The 1997 results are found in the September, 1997 issue.
Information about Public Agenda can be found at: www.publicagenda.org/. See “A Nation Divided,” 1999; “People’s Chief Concerns,” 1999; “Reality Check: The Status of Standards Reform,” 1999; “The Learning Curve,” 1999; “Assignment Incomplete,” 1995; and “What Americans Expect from the Public Schools,” 1994.
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