By Ed Somers and Kathy Amoroso
October 23, 2006

In response to the recent series of tragic school shootings, President George W. Bush quickly convened a “Conference on School Safety” October 10 in Chevy Chase (MD) with national experts discussing the state of violence in schools and what can be done to reduce attacks.

“In many ways, I’m sorry we’re having this meeting,” Bush said in opening the final panel discussion of the conference. “In other ways, we know how important it is that we’re having this meeting,” he continued. In his remarks, the President indicated that school officials, police officers and others working with youth need a set of “best practices” to prevent and respond to the kinds of school shootings that have taken place in recent weeks.

During discussions led by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, a number of interesting facts were stated:

• Kids have a 70 percent higher risk of being murdered away from school than in school;

• Only one in five school attacks take place in school buildings;

• Since 1990, it is estimated that there have been over 600 school shootings; and,

• In the last two years, the number of deaths in schools due to violence has doubled.

According to stated statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the highest proportion of kids ever now say they were either threatened or attacked at school. Key causal factors identified include an increase in school-based gang activity, more bullying, and attacks in response to perceived disrespect. The meeting focused primarily on youth-to-youth violence, rather than adult attacks on schools.

Panelists, including sheriffs (no police chiefs), educators, researchers and several high school students, agreed that the key ingredient to preventing violence is the gathering and sharing of intelligence. Bush seemed particularly struck by the fact that most students planning violent events talk about it. According to one expert, over 80 percent of kids who plan on committing violence in schools tell someone first, and he urged educators to start hotlines and other mechanisms to enable kids to anonymously report possible attacks.

Safety specialists also urged law enforcement and school officials to form task forces to share information, look for key indicators that children are experiencing problems and may need special attention, and encourage students to speak up when they notice significant behavioral changes in their peers.

The sheriffs stressed that having school resource officers in schools can be a major asset – even though there is no longer federal funding for them – and that school systems should look at intervening with students as early as elementary school to identify violence risk factors such as domestic battery or inadequate care-giving.

In outlining what can be done to make the building themselves safer, experts recommended limiting entries, installing monitoring equipment and designing sight lines in hallways and stairwells to limit hiding spaces for bullies and other predators. There was a mixed reaction from panelists, however, on the advisability of metal detectors, both because of the number of violent incidents outside the buildings, and because of the prison-like atmosphere they can create.

One thing all the law enforcement participants agreed on was the need to prepare for possible attacks in order to identify response plans including evacuations, safe rooms, safe buildings, and communications strategies.

First Lady Laura Bush also participated in the Conference, telling participants that, “Children can’t learn if they’re worried about safety. Adults must do everything they can to reassure students that they are safe.” Mrs. Bush urged participants to address the underlying cause of school violence by “… dealing with violence in society at large.” She also outlined the work of her initiative, Helping America’s Youth, and recommended that participants learn more about its resources. More information is available at helpingamericasyouth.gov.

Much of the discussion focused on teaching character and values to children in schools, and creating curricula that “teaches the heart as well as the head.”

There were no new policies or new funding announced at the meeting. The issue of keeping guns away from children was not on the agenda for any of the panels, and was not discussed by any of the invited speakers.

When asked by a young member of the audience why the issue was not being discussed, and what could be done to keep high-powered weapons away from kids, Gonzales responded that the Administration’s focus is on prosecuting those who commit gun crimes. “Obviously kids should not have access to weapons and there should be no weapons in our schools,” he said. “That’s been the position of our President since his days as Governor.”

In September 1998, the Conference of Mayors responded to a rash of school shootings and released its National Action Plan on School Violence and Kids from 2:00 to 8:00 pm. Key recommendations included:

• 100,000 new school counselors, modeled on the successful COPS program;

• A comprehensive effort to reduce youth-related gun violence, including “one gun a month” limitations, personalization of guns, and increased gun-owner responsibility;

• School uniforms as an effective means of promoting discipline and safer schools;

• School systems to keep school facilities open before school, after school and on weekends to offer meaningful and safe programs for youth;

• Increased after'school, summer job and school-to-career opportunities for youth;

• Alternative schools for dropouts and others not able to learn in a typical school setting;

• An all-out effort to reduce school truancy and provide a safe environment in schools;

• Greater involvement of arts, music, parks and recreation officials in delivering youth services;

• Arts, music, physical fitness and sports programs as part of the school curriculum for all students; and

• The formation of joint task forces of mayors with both entertainment industry and news media executives to address the proliferation of violence presented to our children.