The focus of American schools these days have so changed from the “basics” of teaching children to read, write and do arithmetic. Instead of just being an academic institution that is entrusted with teaching our children skills that would enable then to be intelligent contributing members of society, the schools are now looked at as “extensions of the community”. Therefore, according to John Dewey, “ schools should share social burdens and be responsible for equipping children with skills necessary to survive and succeed in the community.” Schools have indeed had to modify their roles from teaching content academics to helping all students adjust to changing “radical situations” such as juvenile violence.
Over the years our American culture has become more violent. Our children now substitute playing outside, neighborhood friendships and non-media activities with time watching and listening to music, videos and television oozing with violence. No matter what families try to do the message of violent or aggressive behavior is everywhere. Thus, in some way, shape or form I believe the schools should adjust and address the new demands our society has put on children.
There are many factors that contribute to aggressive behavior in children.
1. Excessive viewing of violence on television
2. Repeated examples of bullying behavior
3. Evidence of poor parenting such as abuse, neglect or lack of nurturing
4. History of harsh or erratic discipline at home...
It is necessary for the schools in the United States to take more action in order to keep the students safe during the day. It is obvious that schools are not safe, forcing everyone to take a part in stopping the violent behavior which takes place in schools on a daily basis. There are many warning signs and ways to prevent this violence from taking place, it is just a matter of using money more wisely and creating more programs for preventing violence before it erupts in schools. There is no excuse for students to feel unsafe in an environment which the government forces them to be in. It is necessary that more action take place and that more training take place in order for schools to be safer, and in the event where violence does occur, the staff of the school is equipped to stop it before it gets out of hand. There is no time like now to keep the children and our schools safe from predators and especially from school violence.
Some school critics and statisticians have observed that drug-dealing, vandalism, robbery, and murder have replaced gum-chewing, “talking out of turn,” tardiness, and rudeness as the most chronic problems afflicting today’s schools. If the intent of this observation is to shock and rattle the public’s sensibilities, it’s working. Of course, some of us may interpret such suggestions as merely dark, stoic, and cynical—“scare” tactics quite in keeping with the current national mood about many social issues these days.
Furthermore, educational institutions are suppose to emphasize learning and teaching- it is children grow and learn more about the world each day. However today's educational institutions mostly rely on punishment, violence, and misbehavior. Guided by the mass increase of school shooting and reports of increase in school violence, schools around the world have recently adopted revolutionary solution and prevention methods.
There are very few people today who are unaware of the violence in schools. As college students we live in a world that is desperate to find prevention methods against violence. That makes this issue important to today's college students, considering the fact that we are the generation that could have been involved and directly effected by a school shooting like Columbine. Is this how we want our school systems to be when our children enroll?
Schools are sending children out of the classroom because “the definition of what is a crime as opposed to a teachable moment has changed in extraordinary ways” (Editors of Rethinking Schools, 2011/1012). The article further discusses that “We cannot build safe, creative, nurturing schools and criminalize our children at the same time” (Editors of Rethinking Schools, 2011/1012). Instead it is vital to create “alternative approaches to safe school communities that rely on restorative justice and community building instead of criminalization” (Editors of Rethinking Schools, 2011/1012). I think Kathy does just this; she empowers the children to communicate their feelings and create solutions to the problems they
Violence within this country has been an ongoing problem throughout history. Due to all the media coverage of more recent violent events in school history, such as Columbine, it is of popular belief that violence in school systems is the worst it has ever been. There are many questions about what type of violence occurs most often, what gender and what ethnicity violence is most affecting in schools.
Can violence in our schools be stopped? Most would say no. Intervention and prevention on the other hand, are the first steps to decrease senseless violence that occur in our schools. There have been hundreds of incidents of violence in schools, from arguments, to fights, and eventually untimely school shootings. The prevention of school violence is more than a week-long event on a calendar; it takes time, effort, and willingness to better understand a need for safer schools for kids.
A major issue in schools is schools are violence. Our students have become more and more violent each and every year. If we don’t start to help our students resolve their issues amongst each other the fighting will never end. Some people done really realize what school violence is exactly. “The true term for school violence refers to criminal acts committed at educational institutions such as elementary, middle, and high schools as well as colleges and universities.” (Opposing Viewpoints) Many factors can play into as why these students always feel the need to be violent. Their home lives, bullying, videogames, and much more could affect their thinking. Students have been bringing knives to school just because they think its “cool”. They are putting everyone’s lives at danger.
Schools are supposed to be a safe environment where students can receive a proper education. Our modern American school system is failing in keeping our students safe. The way our society has changed can be seen in our schools and students. Issues that have been found in our students and schools have been brought to light in the past few years. It has forced the public to have a conversation about what is happening to our kids and in our schools.
As a responsible adult would you ever knowingly send a child into a dangerous situation? The majority of adults would say of course not, but unfortunately this is exactly what happens up to five days a week through much of the school year. Sadly, many school aged children are subjected to violence at school on a daily basis. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention, reports that, “School violence is youth violence that occurs on school property, on the way to or from school or during school-sponsored events (Youth Violence).” Students may be physically abused or emotionally humiliated at the very place that adults send them to thrive and grow. School violence is a real crisis that can affect many aspects of a child’s education
When you are a middle or high school public school teacher, events happen instantaneously, and you have to be equal to the task of confronting the challenge of an unexpected situation face to face. You never know when or where school violence will erupt; a teacher only knows that it inevitably will.
The issue of school safety has become a controversial topic in the United States, due to tragic acts of violence occurring on a daily basis. American citizens should never have to cope with the negative impact of school violence, no matter how often they hear about the tragedies (Jones, "Parents" 1). In the past, schools were viewed as a safe place for children to get an education. Recently, the concern over violence in schools has taken a toll on many parents, school administrators, and legislatures (Eckland 1). Studies have shown that there are over 3 million acts of violence in American public schools each year. Not all occurrences are serious and deadly, but they occur on a daily basis throughout our country (Jones, “School” 6). This has caused many parents to worry about the well-being of their children while they are in class. This has also led to an increase in questions and concerns by parents and guardians. Many people have asked, “What are you doing about safety and security on my child’s campus” (Schimke 2). School violence is the cause of elevated worry and fear for their children, and school districts should enforce better security.
Violence in American schools has triggered debates on the root cause of student’s anger and aggressive behavior and proposed proactive solutions.
Violence in schools has spread widely throughout the nation. This has caused many problems among students, families, faculty of schools, and residents of the areas. However, there are many possible ways we can stop all this violence in schools. Almost three-fourths of the United States teens are afraid of violent crime amongst their peers (Apfel 23). Violence in schools has become a big problem in todays society. With all the people being injured or killed in schools by guns and other weapons, more and more people are getting more weapons to bring in to schools. Nearly half of all males and one-third of all students including females said they could easily obtain a handgun if they wanted to (Glazer 14).
These days, school safety is one of the most important parts of running a good school. So how can we make our school, safer and a better school overall?