School Safety

Education news, analysis, and opinion about keeping students safe in the school building from bullying, violence, and environmental hazards, among other things

Explainer

Greeley Police Officer Steve Brown stands in the hallway during passing periods at Northridge High School in Greeley, Colo. on Oct. 21, 2016. While school resource officers, like Brown, are expected to handle responsibilities like any police officer they're faced with unique challenges working day-to-day in schools
School Resource Officers (SROs), Explained
Does the presence of armed officers prevent school violence? Do they contribute for Black children to the 'school to prison pipeline'?
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Vector illustration of a businessman trying to catapult through stack of warning signs.
iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety How to Judge If Anonymous Threats to Schools Are Legit: 5 Expert Tips
School officials need to take all threats seriously, but the nature of the threat can inform the size of the response.
Caitlynn Peetz, November 21, 2024
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3 min read
Tightly cropped photo of hands on a laptop with a red glowing danger icon with the exclamation mark inside of a triangle overlaying the photo
iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety What Schools Need To Know About Anonymous Threats—And How to Prevent Them
Anonymous threats are on the rise. Schools should act now to plan their responses, but also take measures to prevent them.
Caitlynn Peetz, November 20, 2024
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3 min read
A woman looks at a hand held device on a train in New Jersey.
Black students—as young as middle schoolers—have received racists texts invoking slavery in the wake of the presidential election. Educators say they're starting to see inflammatory campaign rhetoric make its way into classrooms.
Jenny Kane/AP
Student Well-Being School Leaders Confront Racist Texts, Harmful Rhetoric After Divisive Election
Educators say inflammatory rhetoric from the campaign trail has made its way into schools.
Brooke Schultz, November 13, 2024
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7 min read
Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Letter to the Editor School Safety Should Be Built In, Not Tacked On
Schools and communities must address ways to prevent school violence by first working with people, says this letter to the editor.
October 22, 2024
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1 min read
Wed., October 09, 2024, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
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School Climate & Safety Webinar How to Use Data to Combat Bullying and Enhance School Safety
Join our webinar to learn how data can help identify bullying, implement effective interventions, & foster student well-being.
Content provided by Panorama Education
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Photo of chained school doors.
istock
School Climate & Safety Opinion ‘Homemade’ Solutions to School Safety Can Be Fire Hazards. Here’s What to Know
With the threat of school shootings, it’s natural to guard against intruders. However, this urgency can lead to equally unsafe measures.
Lauris Freidenfelds, October 2, 2024
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4 min read
Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz participate in a vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in New York.
Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz participate in a vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in New York.
Matt Rourke/AP
Federal What JD Vance and Tim Walz Said About School Safety in VP Debate
Education came up in the vice presidential debate, unlike the debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
Libby Stanford, October 1, 2024
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3 min read
President Joe Biden signs an executive order that aims to help schools make active shooter drills less traumatic for students, during an event with Vice President Kamala Harris and others in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Sept. 26, 2024.
President Joe Biden signs an executive order that aims to help schools make active shooter drills more effective and less traumatic for students during an event with Vice President Kamala Harris and others in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Sept. 26, 2024.
Susan Walsh/AP
School Climate & Safety Prepared But Not Scared: Biden Orders New Guidance on School Drills
Biden ordered new federal guidance on active shooter drills in schools.
Evie Blad, September 27, 2024
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3 min read
Photograph of crime scene tape and school.
F. Sheehan for Education Week / Getty
School Climate & Safety Preparing for and Responding to School Threats: Resources for Administrators
Resources to help schools prepare for and respond to threats of violence.
Evie Blad, September 24, 2024
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4 min read
Principals from the Principals Recovery Network address lawmakers on the long-term effects of gun violence on Sept. 23, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
Principals address Democratic members of Congress on the long-term effects of gun violence on Sept. 23, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
Courtesy of Oversight Committee Democrats Press Office
Education Funding Gun Violence Takes a Toll. We Need More Support, Principals Tell Congress
At a congressional roundtable, school leaders made an emotional appeal for more funds to help schools recover from gun violence.
Olina Banerji, September 24, 2024
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5 min read
Boardman high school principal Cynthia Fernback checks classroom doors to make sure they are locked during a lockdown drill, on Feb. 14, 2019, in Boardman, Ohio.
Principal Cynthia Fernback checks classroom doors to make sure they are locked during a lockdown drill on Feb. 14, 2019, in Boardman, Ohio. A new survey from the RAND Corporation finds that most teachers don't feel safer from participating in lockdown drills.
Tony Dejak/AP
School Climate & Safety Lockdown Drills Don't Make Teachers Feel Safer
More teachers than not also say the ubiquitous simulations don't help them feel more prepared for an active shooter or other emergency.
Libby Stanford, September 23, 2024
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6 min read
Illustration of sad/angry boy.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
School Climate & Safety A Surge of Violent School Threats Creates a Communication Crisis for Districts
School threats requires districts to juggle nuanced messages for parents, students, and communities.
Evie Blad, September 20, 2024
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6 min read
Alexis Osborn, left, and Mireida Alvarado share a laugh while reading a book together during kindergarten class at Fairview Elementary in Carthage, Mo.
Students share a laugh while reading a book together during kindergarten class at Fairview Elementary in Carthage, Mo. As former President Donald Trump continues to share anti-immigrant rhetoric on the presidential campaign trail, educators say it it's even more crucial to create a welcoming environment for all students.
Roger Nomer/The Joplin Globe via AP
English Learners Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Has Consequences. What Schools Can Do to Help
As falsehoods circulate about Haitian residents of Springfield, Ohio, schools can help immigrant students feel safe and welcome.
Ileana Najarro, September 20, 2024
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6 min read
Broken piggy bank with adhesive bandage on the table
iStock/Getty
Education Funding Explainer How One Grant Can Help Schools Recover From Shootings
Schools can leverage a little-known emergency grant to recover from violence or a natural disaster. Here’s how.
Olina Banerji, September 19, 2024
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9 min read
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