1. By: Chloe, Nicole, and Lisa

2. Major Violent Events which encouraged school safety precautions Columbine High School Shootings –Deadliest high school shooting in the U.S. at the time –Occurred on April 20, 1999 – two students armed with a vast array of guns and bombs, attacked the school and attempted to shoot people while running out of the building –Killed 12 students, a teacher, and themselves Virginia Tech Shootings – occurred on April 16, 2007, –a 23-year-old student Seung-Hui Cho –unprovoked shooting spree at the school, with two semiautomatic guns killing a total of 32 people and himself. –Cho reportedly had a history of disturbing behavior

3. Surveillance Cameras peace of mind of students and staff. -Students feel safer knowing that a potential perpetrators will be scared off by the cameras reduction in property damages they can be in areas of the school that are physically difficult to monitor. schools using cameras claim that there is an overall better behavior of students. videos can be used as a means of evidence if something does happen. cost. -The equipment, testing and installation for a single school could cost $30,000 or more (Green, 1999, Why Not Video Cameras?) effectiveness. Can it really identify people? students concern that they will be individually tracked. legal questions: Privacy Issues.

4. Student’s I.D. Requirement –This will help identify all members of the staff present and other visitors inside of the school. –Also would make it more difficult for outsiders to gain access to the campus. –Could promote a sense of “community” and a sense of “safety” inside schools. –Help monitor student travel to and from campus making it easier to access specific student location. –Generates distrust between staff members and students. –Could use alternative spending methods to improve the school such as: Instead of spending money on IDs, schools should use their financial resources to expand or enhance academic offerings for students. –Could be considered as an invasion of student’s privacy. Nearly every high school in the US, require visitors to sign in at the front office after entering the building. 40% of high schools require teachers to wear and I.D.

5. Student Searching 1985 Supreme Court decision decided that student’s may be searched by a school official with probable cause. Although by the Fourth Amendment, it is considered unconstitutional to search a student and their belongings without probable cause. –However, this does not directly limit the school from searching lockers randomly because the lockers are considered school property. Obviously, to prevent students from bringing weapons or other harmful objects inside of the school. Could overall contribute to the safety of the school. To randomly search a student is unconstitutional. And this is considered an invasion of student privacy and right to their personal possessions. Searches are not 100% effective, weapons and other items can always be hidden.

6. Metal Detectors –Prevents students and other visitors from bringing weapons onto campus. –Faculty is more aware of suspicious belongings students may bring to school. –Hypothetically, if it took each student 30 seconds to remove all metal objects and complete the entire procedure. It would take 1,500 students 7.5 hours to get into school. –Money – employing someone to stand/check students every time there is a problem, as well as paying for the equipment for each school. –Not 100% effective, easily tricked. Sliding weapons through without causing commotion or alarm to sound. Metal Detectors were first considered as a school safety measure after the Columbine shootings. Schools comprising of mostly minorities were eight times more likely to undergo random metal-detector searches than students at schools in which minorities make up less than 5% of the student population. –Issues& Controversies : “Update: School Safety”

7. Uniforms/ Apparel Requirements –Students obligation to compete is minimized. –The district found that assault and battery cases declined 34%, fighting declined 51%, weapons- possession declined 50%, drug cases declined 69% and sex offenses declined 74% with uniform requirements. –Clear Backpacks: can view all items –Takes less time for students to get ready for school. –No individuality and may feel suppressed. –Clear Backpacks- invasion of student privacy. –difficult to differentiate students. –Uniforms are sometimes taken to extreme. Ex: No jewelry, sock color, shoes, etc.

8. 1) What types of safety measures does your school use? Are you concerned that those safety measures are overly invasive, or do you think they are necessary to ensure school safety?

9. Discussion Questions & Activities 2) Should college administrators be allowed to remove a mentally ill student from campus if they suspect that he or she might pose a threat to other students-even that student has no record of violent behavior? Explain your point of view. 3) Some supporters of expanded school-safety measures argue that high schools and colleges should employ armed security guards. Do you agree or disagree with that proposal? 4) Statistics show that children and teenagers are far safer in school than anywhere else. In light of that fact, do you think too much attention is paid to the issue of school safety? Why or why not? 5) Imagine you are a high school principal. What types of safety measures would you use at your school, and which ones would you forgo? Compile a list of that safety measures that you would install at your school.