School Climate & Safety Collection

The Newtown School Shootings

On Dec. 14, 2012, a gunman who shot his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., killed 20 children and six of their teachers and school leaders. It was the deadliest K-12 school shooting in U.S. history. Since the day of the shootings, the tragedy has had a far-reaching effect on schools. In ongoing coverage, Education Week captured the grief and reflection felt in Newtown and nationwide and reported on the increased emphasis on school safety. Read our complete coverage:

Lynn McDonnell, left, mother of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Grace McDonnell; Jimmy Greene and Nelba Marquez-Greene, center, parents of victim Ana Marquez-Greene; and Jennifer Hensel, right, mother of victim Avielle Richman, stand with other victims' families as they address the media on Dec. 9, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. The parents announced the formation of a website "intended to serve as a singular place of sharing, communication, and contact with the families of those who lost their lives that day."
Lynn McDonnell, left, mother of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Grace McDonnell; Jimmy Greene and Nelba Marquez-Greene, center, parents of victim Ana Marquez-Greene; and Jennifer Hensel, right, mother of victim Avielle Richman, stand with other victims' families as they address the media on Dec. 9, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. The parents announced the formation of a website "intended to serve as a singular place of sharing, communication, and contact with the families of those who lost their lives that day."
--Jessica Hill/AP
School Climate & Safety A Year Later, Newtown Tragedy Yields Little Policy Change
While districts have beefed up safety measures and added armed security, only a small fraction of the laws proposed in the immediate aftermath of the school shootings have been enacted.
Evie Blad, December 10, 2013
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9 min read
Federal Sandy Hook: Words and Actions
The months following the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School were filled with emotional responses from victims' family members and influential educational and political leaders. See a sampling of what they've had to say.
Doris Nhan, Evie Blad, Megan Garner & Chienyi Cheri Hung, December 10, 2013
Nelba Marquez-Greene's 6-year-old daughter Ana Grace, who was killed in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary on Dec. 14, 2012.
Nelba Marquez-Greene's 6-year-old daughter Ana Grace, who was killed in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary on Dec. 14, 2012.
Courtesy of Nelba Marquez-Greene
School Climate & Safety Opinion A Sandy Hook Parent's Letter to Teachers
After her daughter Ana Grace was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, Nelba Marquez-Greene wrote about the courage of teachers.
Nelba Marquez-Greene, September 6, 2013
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3 min read
Education School Safety Legislation Since Newtown
An Education Week analysis of nearly 400 bills finds state lawmakers have proposed a host of measures, including arming teachers, adding police officers, and improving school buildings.
Andrew Ujifusa, April 24, 2013
Jillian Soto, left, whose sister Vicki Soto was one of the teachers killed in the Newtown, Conn., school shootings, wipes away tears during a press conference held last week by Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat. Several families of Newtown victims came to Washington last week to press the Senate to begin debate on a gun-control proposal.
Jillian Soto, left, whose sister Vicki Soto was one of the teachers killed in the Newtown, Conn., school shootings, wipes away tears during a press conference held last week by Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat. Several families of Newtown victims came to Washington last week to press the Senate to begin debate on a gun-control proposal.
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty
School Climate & Safety School Security, Mental-Health Measures Advance
Proposals prompted by the killings in Newtown, Conn., gain some ground in the Senate.
April 15, 2013
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7 min read
School Climate & Safety Opinion A 'Memo' to Staff on Arming All Teachers
In a fictitious school policy memo, Thomas P. Johnson tackles the logistics of arming teachers.
Thomas P. Johnson, April 12, 2013
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2 min read
Participants rush out of the cafeteria after hearing simulated gunshots during a lockdown exercise at Milford High School in Milford, Mass., earlier this month. More than 500 teachers, administrators, cafeteria workers and school custodians participated in the training program that taught alternatives to staying in lockdown during a school shooting.
Participants rush out of the cafeteria after hearing simulated gunshots during a lockdown exercise at Milford High School in Milford, Mass., earlier this month. More than 500 teachers, administrators, cafeteria workers and school custodians participated in the training program that taught alternatives to staying in lockdown during a school shooting.
Michael Dwyer/AP
School Climate & Safety Civil Rights Groups: School Safety Not Dependent on Guns
A coalition of organizations unveiled its plan to head off school violence through positive behavioral approaches and better training and support for students and staff.
March 28, 2013
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6 min read
Denver police Officer Everett Moore, a school resource officer at East High School, patrols the hallways, school grounds, and trouble spots near the property. The police and the district have reached an agreement that better defines the role of the police in schools.
Denver police Officer Everett Moore, a school resource officer at East High School, patrols the hallways, school grounds, and trouble spots near the property. The police and the district have reached an agreement that better defines the role of the police in schools.
Nathan W. Armes for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Influx of School Police Raises Worries
Critics say an increase in police presence will funnel students into the juvenile-justice system for matters administrators should handle in-house.
March 12, 2013
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9 min read
School Climate & Safety House Panel Grapples With School Safety Issues
Resource officers, counselors, and teacher training can help head off tragedies like Sandy Hook shootings, witnesses told a congressional panel.
Alyson Klein, March 5, 2013
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4 min read
Smoke and shell casings fly as teachers and staff from Clifton Independent School District in Clifton, Texas, fire handguns at a range just outside of Clifton during training on what they need to know to get a license to carry a concealed gun.
Smoke and shell casings fly as teachers and staff from Clifton Independent School District in Clifton, Texas, fire handguns at a range just outside of Clifton during training on what they need to know to get a license to carry a concealed gun.
Lance Rosenfield/Prime for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Armed Educators a Reality in Some Schools, Debated in Others
As the once-unthinkable idea of arming teachers gains traction, some districts offer insights on when employees bring weapons to school.
Nirvi Shah, February 15, 2013
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11 min read
Retired state trooper Les Strawbridge patrols the halls at Butler Intermediate High School in Butler, Pa. The district accelerated efforts to arm school resource officers within days of the Newtown, Conn., school shootings.
Retired state trooper Les Strawbridge patrols the halls at Butler Intermediate High School in Butler, Pa. The district accelerated efforts to arm school resource officers within days of the Newtown, Conn., school shootings.
Michael S. Williamson/Washington Post/Getty
School Climate & Safety Districts Get Bold on School Security
As President Obama unveils an anti-violence plan, districts are taking dramatic steps—and even arming staff—to boost safety.
January 22, 2013
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9 min read
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan attends a wake for Dawn Hochsprung, the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown, Conn. She was one of the six staff members shot to death at the school last month.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan attends a wake for Dawn Hochsprung, the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown, Conn. She was one of the six staff members shot to death at the school last month.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty
School Climate & Safety Chicago Years Inform Ed. Secretary's Views on Gun Violence
Arne Duncan is among those tasked by the White House to craft proposals in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., shootings.
Michele McNeil, January 11, 2013
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7 min read
School Climate & Safety Conn. Shooter's Link to Autism Worries Advocates
Asperger's syndrome didn't cause Adam Lanza's violent attack, say groups representing people with disabilities.
January 8, 2013
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4 min read
Connecticut State Police lead children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., following the shooting on Dec. 14.
Connecticut State Police lead children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., following the shooting on Dec. 14.
Shannon Hicks/Newtown Bee/AP
School Climate & Safety At Sandy Hook School, Tragic Day Unfolds
On Dec. 14, the news out of a Newtown, Conn., elementary school grew grimmer by the second.
January 8, 2013
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4 min read
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