What Is The Definition Of School Safety?

School Safety Significance

Crime prevention assemblies can help deter students from bringing weapons to school.
The climate of schools has grown increasingly volatile leaving some school systems to have to resort to metal detectors, law enforcement personnel on-site and lock-down procedures. Students and persons from outside the school system have found school buildings to be a place where they can gain attention by seeking to harm as many people as possible. Any school that does not take school safety seriously can be become a target for violence and student unrest. A close perusal of the National School Safety Center report 1999 to 2000 reveals a startling reality of the number of deaths that are associated with violence in American schools.

Responding to Natural Disasters

Schools conduct monthly tornado and fire drills to prepare for real emergencies.
In accordance with the National School Safety Center, schools must consider all aspects of safety such as responding to natural disasters. The entire school system must be aware of the safety procedures required for hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, floods, snow, freezing temperatures and dangerously high temperatures during the summer months.

School administration should ensure there is a systematic way to contact parents, staff and the public if necessary concerning a crisis created by a natural disaster. Administrators may consider establishing a partnership with the local television and radio stations so parents can be contacted by means other than phone calls.



Responding to Medical Emergencies

Administrators have assistants check the expiration dates of staff members CPR certification.
In addition to schools being able to respond to natural disasters, schools must be able to address medical emergencies that are often times unforeseeable. In accordance with the National School Safety Center, community stakeholders such as the local fire department, hospitals and law enforcement should be viable partners in assisting schools prevent and respond to medical emergencies. Schools must ensure that the entire school population is informed about where to seek medical attention, whom to contact for medical attention and what to do in the event that medical assistance is not immediately available.



Schools that do not have a registered nurse should train some of their faculty members in CPR and how to treat emergencies such as burns, snake bites, allergic reactions, broken arms and legs and students choking on food.



Responding to Violent Threats

Classroom doors should be locked at all times.
Violence is, unfortunately, often an option for disgruntled students, faculty and persons outside of the school building. Administrators cannot make any assumptions concerning the likelihood of a violent threat not occurring. In accordance with state codes, school districts are required through mandate to implement emergency preparedness procedures. Lock-down procedures are an integral part of the emergency preparedness plan.





Lock-down procedures at a minimum must include staff and teachers recognizing secret code words indicating a likely threat in the school, securing doors to populated areas and communicating to a designated lock-down coordinator the current conditions of the staff and students in their assigned lock-down location.



Statistics to Consider

Student and staff safety must be priority regardless of the cost.
In accordance with the National School Safety Center, schools are affected by the violence and crimes committed within the community. There is an increase in gang activity outside of the school system as well as within the school system. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported in 2004 that in 1998 through 2004, there were more than 234,000 nonfatal crimes committed against teachers in schools. This same report stated in 2003, six percent of 9th to 12th grade students carried an assault weapon to school. All statistics lead to the resolution that all schools must take seriously the threats to their staff, teachers and students on a daily basis. The first step to addressing these issues is to ensure that every school has a comprehensive plan that is implemented school-wide.

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