Archive for March 2013
What Titanic and Britannic Can Teach Us About School Safety
We can learn a lot about school safety from studying the Titanic and its sister the Britannic. The rumble is persistent – and at times even deafening – as the public seeks to protect school children via impenetrable doors, bullet-proof glass, cameras and armed guards. While this structural-functional perspective isn’t wrong, it is only one perspective. …
Read MoreSCHOOL CRISIS PREP – what to do first? Use a Prioritization Matrix – Full Analytical Criteria Method
Administrators are bound to have generated a hefty “to do” list following a comprehensive assessment of school safety needs. So, where does one begin when addressing school safety concerns? The process can be efficiently addressed through a prioritization matrix. The following steps will allow for stakeholder input and produce an objective, clear hierarchy of needs. Give it a…
Read MoreThe 8 safety questions I would ask anyone who works in a school…
There are numerous surveys about school safety. Few, however, inquire as to how staff become aware of potential crises in their settings – and few seem to be built to inform any type of construct. I developed the following 8 questions for anyone working in a school. Each question is supported by a literature review. These…
Read MoreMass Shooting Incident Symposium – Key Points to Consider
The DeForest (WI) Police Department made me a special non-law enforcement guest of the Mass Shooting Incident Symposium held at the Schauer Performing Arts Center in Hartford, Wisconsin on March 4, 2013. This exemplary event, designed for law enforcement, entailed brilliant studies of four mass shootings with attention to efficient incident and post-incident responses. Presenters: Major Kevin…
Read MoreInteresting Statistics Related to School Safety
School Statistics 53 million students attend public or private school each in the United States (Loyola University, 2012) The National School Boards Association (1993) estimated that 135,000 American children carry guns to school each day. The Department of Education (1999) reported that 3,930 students in public K-12 schools were expelled for bringing a firearm to…
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