Report of the School Safety & Violence Task Force

Submitted by Dave Brown, Task Force Chair
Adopted by the ACSA Board May 18, 1995

Process: The Task Force met on four occasions during 1994 to complete the first phase of developing a proposal for action. We thoroughly reviewed current literature on safety and violence and received a summary report from Mary Weaver concerning California Department of Education initiatives. After the first two meetings, we were determined to categorize our initial recommendation into three primary areas: direct support to ACSA membership for ensuring positive school environments, assistance with development and coordination of school and community curriculum on issues of safety and violence; and listing of specific issues and projects requiring significant collaboration with other organizations and agencies to ensure meaningful impact.

After development of the draft report, the Task Force recommendations were circulated among ACSAís statewide committees for response. The committees included Elementary, Middle Grades, and Secondary Education Committees; Superintendency; Classified Education Leaders; Higher Education/Professional Preparation Council; Co-Administratorsí Task Force; Pupil Service/Special Education; Curriculum, Instruction, and Evaluation; and Diversity and Urban Education Committees.

The responses have been incorporated into the revised version of this report, and the School Safety and Violence Task Force has agreed after reviewing the revisions that we believe the task force report now represents a broad-based consensus from all parts of ACSAís state leadership.

School Safety and Violence

Purpose: ACSA's goal is to create and sustain safe school environments. We believe students cannot be effectively nurtured and provided the knowledge, skills and values our society desires for them in unsafe schools and community conditions. New allocations and investments of educational and community resources for any public purpose, therefore, should be weighed against the need to finance initiatives designed to educate and protect California's children.

Statewide Survey: The Task Force recommends consideration of comprehensive survey designed to identify needs, gaps and exemplary programs related to violence prevention and response, with a clear identification of how the survey results can be utilized locally. The Southwest Regional Lab has submitted a model for consideration.

  I. ACSA Can Provide Direct Support to Administrators

1. ACSA can provide support through the development of Resource Guides. Included would be material and guidelines which focus on the following areas:
• Technical support for developing site safety plans
• Classified training programs (grounds supervisors, etc.)
• Effective conflict management/resolution strategies
• Support/directions for embedding safety curricula into the daily academic life of the school
• Procedures/policies to be implemented in times of crisis
• Speakers list
• Sample policies and regulations: e.g. gang affiliation, attire, suspension/expulsion, etc.
• Listing of community resources - statewide (Law Enforcement Cadre, etc.)
• Summary of model violence prevention programs
• Summary of model discipline programs (discipline with dignity, NES)
• Listing of programs and techniques focused on nurturing troubled youth
• Summary of pertinent training opportunities, including ACSA professional development offerings
• Identify grants and other funding sources, and provide technical support for grant writing
• Promote appreciation for ethnic/cultural differences; i.e., "World of Difference" training
2. ACSA can provide support through communications with members and, through members, with the public. These communications would be designed to achieve improved community awareness and understanding of and support for school safety efforts. Products could include:
• Sample statements, letters to parents, guidelines, and statistical information which Principals can use in conjunction with parent/community newsletters.
• Statewide campaign in Thrust and EdCal , including PSAs and vocal and financial support from elected officials and business leaders.
• Focus on healthy activities designed to reduce tension and conflict.

II. ACSA can participate in the development and dissemination of violence prevention curricula.

  Learning objectives are to be embodied both within school curriculum and in modules appropriate for community applications.

1. Recommended content of school based programs:
• Violence prevention strategies
• Emphasis of prevention over remediation
• Safety plans - technical assistance
• Conflict management/resolution, including:
• Problem-solving; self-awareness/self-esteem; respectful listening; caring; gang resistance strategies and identification of behavior appropriate of productive citizens
• Supervision training, techniques and strategies
• Sexual harassment resistance training
• Multicultural education (from tolerance, to acceptance, to utilization of diversity as a school and community strength) - Monterey H.S. "Prejudice Rejection"
• Utilize all curricular areas (i.e., go beyond arts and history to help achieve awareness, tolerance and prejudice reduction)
• "10 Things to Teach Kids" (National Crime Prevention Council)
• Media literacy: understanding the impact of media violence on children (John Spillane, University of Maryland; National Telemedia Council)
• Train students to become parents (begin in elementary schools - Elaine Taketani, Baldwin Park)
• Utilize County Offices of Education as clearinghouses for excellent practices
2. Recommended content of community-based programs. Any meaningful impact on school and community safety must be achieved with assistance beyond the school environment. Effective systems for safe schools must be broad-based.
• Conflict resolution/Management in homes
• "Becoming a Family" project, Drs. Cowan, U.C. Berkeley
• Media literacy - Assist parents with TV/Film viewing
• Parenting skills - "So you want to be parents" Refer to SWRL training, Probation Dept. - PRICE and Joint Committee in Instructional Materials
• Teach value of active participation in child's education (Requirement for state support)
• Require release of employees by employers for parenting training
• Seek out, feed and transport families in need ("Growing Up Well" Redondo Beach SD)
• Provide materials for all new parents (through hospitals and churches)

III. ACSA can engage in expanded collaboration with appropriate agencies and organizations.

  In this way, the resources of the larger community can be mobilized and coordinated to improve prevention and intervention services and focus on the social health of our communities.

• Development of Gun/Drug Free Zones (NASSP)
• Neighborhood Anti-Crime/"Watch" efforts
• Gun control initiatives
• Work for tighter collaboration with courts, probation and community-based policing organizations.

• Ongoing support for modernization, security and adequate housing (Prop 1B); recognizing the impact of aging and overcrowded schools on student safety
• Consider issues related to the size of schools and how time is used; i.e. block schedules and "schools within schools"
• Revive crime reporting with clear distinction between on-campus and off-campus incidents

• Demand change based on studies of the negative impact of media violence on the behavior of both students and adults - (Michael Medved a possible spokesperson)