From Kindergarten to
College
School Safety
With Darrell Rud
President, National Association of Elementary School Principals
Thursday, Aug. 30, 2001; 1 p.m. EDT
Are schools safe? School principals say they are and that they have done their homework preparing for crisis, according to a poll conducted by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. And what about "zero tolerance" or punishment? Should it fit the crime?
Darrell Rud, president of the association, will be online Thursday, Aug. 30, at 1 p.m. EDT, to discuss school safety, zero tolerance and what measures principals, teachers, parents and community leaders can take to make going to school a non-risky business.
The National Association of Elementary School Principals serves over 28,5000 elementary and middle schools principals in the U.S., Canada and overseas. Rud regularly evaluates and reviews teacher training programs in colleges and makes frequent presentations on how communities and schools can work together to prevent violence. He is principal of Newman Elementary School in Billings, Mont.
A transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Darrell Rud: Thanks for asking for my input as a representative and spokesperson for America's K-8 principals in my role as President of NAESP!
Arlington, Va.:
Are principals as in touch with what's happening as are the individual teachers?
Darrell Rud: In the individual classrooms, teachers are more aware of "what's happening" than the principal. In the school, principals are and have to be more aware of "big picture issues" that affect the entire school and neighborhood. It is a collaborative endeavor in which two-way communications are a must! Teachers need to inform the principal of all classroom issues that affect the school and principals need to do likewise to let the teachers and staff know about issues that could impact their teaching and the students learning!
Fairfax, Va.:
What is zero tolerance?
Darrell Rud: To me, "zero tolerance" is identifying some "line in the sand" issues (such as weapons possessions) in schools & districts and then having the mechanisms and processes in place to deal with ALL offenses should they occur....no exceptions! This, of course, needs to be done in a legal and ethical manner to insure students rights and safety for all children and adults who may be affected!
Jim Thorpe, Pa.:
What are some ways that a school leader can involve his school community in making their school safer?
Darrell Rud: By actively working with representatives of ALL groups that influence a school and neighborhood, true community involvement can help address the safety issue! For example, student councils, parent teacher organizations, faculty committees, media reps, key neighborhood representatives (with & without kids in school), representatives of neighboring businesses, etc. all communicating betwen each other and addressing common safety concerns CAN and DOES make a difference!
A principals visible attendance at a variety of neighborhood meetings and gatherings can also enlist help in addressing problems successfully.
New Orleans:
Are zero tolerance policies effective means of preventing violence?
Darrell Rud: From a national perspective, not always! I have read of examples from around the country where such policies did not totally prevent the intended violence prevention target! On an individual site by site, school district by school district basis they have proven to make a significant difference in eliminating various levels of violence such as bullying and different types of harassment. "Before the fact work/education", communication and buy-in by ALL stakeholders seem to be the commonalities that separate those policies that work and those that struggle!
Alexandria, Va.:
What kinds of things are schools doing to keep children safe?
Darrell Rud: Schools are doing much more "preventative work" to educate students, parents, staffs and communities on how important it is to be safe and how each person can make a difference! For example, more schools and districts than ever before have well thought out Crisis Plans, safety and evacuation drills, campus-wide safety studies, etc.
There is much more safety and conflict resolution training for students,parents and staff happening in recent years. When all those involved gain greater awareness, are trained and become actively involved, significant improvements are made in improving safety!
Bakersfield, Calif.:
In your school what do you do if a child comes to school with a toy gun?
Darrell Rud: Every situation is handled on a case-by-case basis! Very young students who "innocently" bring such a toy without knowledge or awareness of such policies would be handled very differently than an "aware" student who brought a real-looking toy gun and used it to scare, intimidate, extort, etc.
Our building and district make it possible to address each item on its own with a range of possible consequences for such actions!
Lakewood, Ohio:
My child has been the victim of a bully. He's just in first grade and is worried about going back to school this year. What can I do about it?
Darrell Rud: Go to school IMMEDIATELY and hear the whole story! The principal and teacher(s) need to share with you what they know about the situation, how they are dealing with it if it is indeed happening and gain your support and partnership in making your child feel better about the new year! In some situations, the child has not ever told a school personnel and they are not aware of the issue! School personnel need to and have to make the bullying stop if it is an ongoing issue! If the fears continue, I would encourage you to enlist the help of the School Counselor as well!
Fairfax, Va:
I noticed some of the designs of elementary schools in Faifax county, a person can eaisly bypass the main office a go directly to an class room. I ask the front office is this a problem, they said it was. They asked the county for a camera for the front door, but was turned down stating that it would make the students feel like they were criminals. Whats your take on that?
Darrell Rud: Financing for desired safety enhancements has been a problem in my school and our district as well! The word "relentless" comes to mind....if the county said "no", turn to some other possible sources of funding to address the issues. Perhaps looking at other less expensive alternatives would also lead to the same desired safety result. Mirrors, hall monitors (volunteer or paid), "inservice", locking doors, etc. may also help the problem without the cost and possible intimidation factor of the camera!
Biloxi, Miss.:
Our school is making everyone wear uniforms this year, do you think that keeps kids safer?
Darrell Rud: Interestingly enough, my most recent former school had a uniformly dressed policy! We adopted the policy after reviewing the research from around America, talking with staff, students, parents and the community and I can confidently say......IT MADE A SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN OUR SCHOOL. When adopted in a well-thought out manner, schools across America and around the world are seeing positive improvements in safety! Uniforms alone cannot stop all unsafe acts....when used in collaboration with other processes, they work!
Prince George County, Md.:
How can a school counselor be best used to help make a school safer?
Darrell Rud: School Counselors are one of our most valuable team members. In individual counseling sessions and in group processes, they have extraordinary talents to convey to children about school safety issues, self-protection, dealing with fears, getting help from grownups, etc.
I utilize them to assist the rest of the team due to their unique expertise!
Oakton, Va.:
Mr. Rud ... I think much of the problem with safety in the schools is due not to students bringing guns, knives, or other weapons to school, but the fact that too many of these students who use these weapons to kill someone are not treated and prosecuted as adults. I am in favor of the death penalty for any student of high-school age or older who can be convicted of first-degree murder.
"Banning" guns and knives here will accomplish nothing ... and may bring in serious Second Amendment issues. Students need to be held accountable for their ACTIONS, not what they carry in their bags or purses.
Darrell Rud: I respect your strong opinions and appreciate your willingness to share them in this manner!
From my perspective, the reasons why a student brings weapons to school (fear, revenge,etc.) that have not been satisfactorily dealt with are more the issue than the penalties. Dealing with these deep-seated issues successfully is a joint responsibility of ALL individuals who deal with this student. The warning signs usually show at home, at school and in the community. We, as adults and friends, need to recognize these unmet needs and work together to address them successfully. Many students feel alienated and disconnected with home or school. It's all of our responsibility to work together to do the preventative measures necessary to do our best to save ALL children from such tragedies that have happened way too often in our country!
Reading, Pa.:
Although most school violence is directed at children, what can schools do for teachers and other staff who might be the victims of school violence?
Darrell Rud: My answers would be relatively the same for ANY acts of violence directed toward ANY human being regardless of the age! Training, awareness, buy-in, communication with all stakeholders is the key! Communities need to say to teachers and school staff....we're on your side and will do our part to make our schools a place where teaching and learning can thrive without fear or intimidation.
Having safety committees in buildings with a broad-based representation is a starting point. From this, ALL safety issues CAN and MUST be addressed so that not even ONE employee has any fear for their well-being.
School-wide discipline models, adequate resources for safety, "back-up plans", training for ALL are some key ingredients!
Alexandria, Va.:
It seems bullying has been a main cause of many of the high-profile incidents. Would you agree? If so, what are schools supposed to be doing about it?
Darrell Rud: Bullying is one of the most common acts of violence in schools now! It appears to be responsible, at least in part, for several of the tragic incidents in America's schools!
Education, effective processes, consistent consequences, awareness training, use of peer mediators, buy-in from all players, etc. are where a school has to start! There are wonderful resources out there and we have a responsibility to address and stop all acts of bullying! Learning cannot take place if this hostility toward others is continuing!
Springfield, Va.:
Uniforms are GREAT. With everything else you have to keep up with as a parent, it's wonderful not having to hear about what kind of clothes the kids HAVE TO HAVE. There is no discussion of clothes, and therefore, no arguments, etc. Plus, that's one less thing that kids can tease each other about.
Darrell Rud: I totally concur! It took me 25 years as a principal to take the risk of working with the school and community to make it happen but it was well worth our efforts! They help...they are not a stand-alone violence prevention program but strengthen other efforts!
There was not one reported insult issue over clothing worn in a school with over a 90% poverty level the entire 2000-2001 school year!
Minneapolis, Minn.:
Our bus driver never makes the kids behave. They run around and sometimes it worries me.
Darrell Rud: If the busses are run by the school district, I would personally contact the transportation director or administrator responsible for student safety! If the routes are managed by a private contractor, I would contact that company with your concerns!
Finding out the "whole story" would be a starting point but not the end! Relentlessness in working with the school, the district, the company and perhaps, the driver, can and should improve the situation.
Battle Creek Mich.:
Do you belive that video games have contributed to the school violence at Columbine high school?
Darrell Rud: I personally have thought that the amount of time that children spend on such games, often without parental awareness or supervision, is excessive! Being a child gives one an incredible amount of "better things to do with their free time" than unrestricted visual input of violent acts.
It's not the only issue but likely could contribute to tragedies like the one in Columbine.
Forestville Md, Prince George County:
Why is it so hard to transfer you child from school to school without a lot of problems from the school board?
Darrell Rud: Every school and district are so different in philosophies and policies! In districts that I have worked in or visited, most of them are very willing to listen and to make decisions on transfers, etc. for educationally sound reasons....it's in the best interests of the student or the school. Moving a student from a school where an issue can be resolved to one that has overcrowded classrooms, for example, would not likely accomplish the desired result. I would rather see the problem issue addressed and hopefully resolved than simply move away from the issue.
Vienna, Va.:
I could not believe what I saw in the comment from Fairfax, Va. about cameras in the school being turned down because of fear of making students "feel" like criminals. Come on.....a significant number of them ARE criminals. This is not a fantasy land of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. No wonder kids today are such discipline problems. In my day (the '60's) we were TOLD what was expected of us, and with some exceptions, we did it. Lawsuits against schools for "diversity" and "students rights" and "Political correctness" was unheard of ... and we actually LEARNED in the schools.
Today everything is politically correct "revisionist" teaching and excessive pampering ... and students start thinking that they are the center of the universe.
Darrell Rud: Times have changed significantly and the structure of the home is very different than when I was raised.
In spite of our changing society (not always for the better), schools are still a wonderful and effective American institution that make our country truly special...and the best in the world! When all stakeholders (including parents and non-parents) work together to help children feel connected, mountains can be moved and schools can be made safer!
Slver Spring, Md.:
Mr. Rud ...I think far too much emphasis is being placed on the issue of preventing students from bringing weapons to school. Studies have shown that many of the students who have shot others in school did so out of retaliation for the cruel way in which they were treated by other classmates. This is the real root of the problem ... the often cruel treatment that "loners" often get from their fellow classmates. One sure way that this kind of treatment would be reduced or eliminated is if students knew that they would put themselves at real risk if they picked on that seemingly innocent loner boy or girl. If that "loner" student had a weapon (or even the POSSIBILITY) of a weapon in his bag or her purse, what other student in his or her right mind would mess with them? Seems to me like we have the answer right here, but the strict gun-control rules prevent students who would potentially be victims of this kind of treatment to defend themselves or to put up a deterrent. This sems like one more example of the rush to implement ill-conceived gun and weapon-restriction laws without considering the bad consequences of what restricting or banning weapons actually does.
Darrell Rud: My personal belief system about preventing school violence takes prevention a few steps further than just focusing on bringing weapons to school.
For a number of years, our education starts the 1st days of school when we review with ALL students about where violence really starts.....with the teasing/sarcasm/insults that we dish out to others! When each student becomes aware of how they individually can make a difference, I have consistently found that all violence decreases significantly!
Our community has bought into this concept to a high degree as well and we are seeing many positive results when ALL buy into a concept. Our entrant in the Miss America pageant even uses these concepts when she travels to hundreds of our states schools.
We talk about weapons and their ban in our schools but we also talk about where violence originates!
Washington, D.C.:
Are schools safer now than they've ever been or not? There's always some school violence that makes the news.
Darrell Rud: The research would say they are! I am very confident and optimistic that we, as a result of our collaborative endeavors, have turned the corner in improving the environment where teaching and learning can flourish!
Las Vegas:
What can parents do to avoid violent behavior in their children?
Darrell Rud: Model, model, model!
Communicate with your child's school, after-school caregiver (if applicable) and all partners in your child's life. Together you can make a difference!
Darrell Rud: As President of the National Association of Elementary School Principals, I have an enormous privilege to interact with thousands of professional educators who care about kids! My responses today attempted to reflect on what I hear and see from listening to my colleagues and visiting their schools across the nation and around the world. I tried to also blend in my personal 30+ years of "sage wisdom"!! Thanks for giving NAESP and me this support and opportunity!
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