School Safety:

What’s the
Solution?
By: Allyssa, Austin,
Brianna, David, and Reanna
General Statistics
● 31 homicides of school-age youth occurred at school during the
2012-2013 school year.
● In 2014, there were about 486,400 nonfatal violent
victimizations at school
● Approximately 9% of teachers report that they have been
threatened with injury by a student
● 5% of school teachers reported that they had been physically
attacked by a student
Risk Factors for School and Youth Violence

● Drug, alcohol, or tobacco use

● Poor family functioning
● Poorly funded schools and extracurricular programs
● Poverty in the community
Themes Amongst Teachers

● Most teachers feel safe, but not all.

● School violence has become an increased worry for
teachers.
● Teachers do not feel they were prepared at all for
school violence.
Themes Amongst Law Enforcement

● Most believe we need more protection in schools

● “I am 100% for metal detectors in schools,” said one

police officer.
Themes Amongst Administrators

● Be prepared and be aware

● Know your students
● Speak up about things that concern you
● School safety is the #1 priority
What are possible solutions?

● Better school funding and investing in after-school

programs
● Adequate punishment/services for violent behavior
and misbehavior
● Metal detectors
Why Metal Detectors?
● Weapon carrying in schools has decreased; 12% of students still admit

to carrying weapons in schools

● Can create a safer environment for students and faculty

● Will not solve problem, but will improve it

Metal Detector Statistics
● There are only 81 metal detectors in over 1,000 school buildings

● 38% decrease in calls to police within CPS

● NYPD metal detector trials detected all weapons brought on campus

● 82% of people believe that schools should have metal detectors

Continued Statistics

● NYC’s Education Department installed metal detectors in 1988

● Runs screenings in more than 90 buildings

● Boston Chief of Police Eric Weston credits metal detectors

● Students feel more safe with metal detectors in school

 Schools = Prisons?
● Money spent could be used for academic resources

● Creates a militarized environment and bad stigmas

● Constitutional rights violations

● Security of buses and school facilities

Schools Prisons
● A school has a right to implement metal detectors
○ In Loco Parentis
● Schools already have various security measures in place
○ 75 % of public schools used security cameras
○ 68 % required picture IDs,
○ 24 % used drug-sniffing dog searches (Total Security Solutions)
Conclusion
● Schools with metal detectors have seen a decrease in
crime and violence
● Metal detectors would add onto existing security
measures
● Metal detectors could save the lives of students and
faculty
Works Cited
https://nypost.com/2017/10/24/stop-school-killings-by-putting-metal-detectors-in-all-city-high-schools/

http://education.seattlepi.com/pros-cons-metal-detectors-schools-2420.html

https://opinionfront.com/metal-detectors-in-schools

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/school-shootings-urban-districts-metal-detectors-security-measures-drugs-gangs/

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/cps-students-safer-despite-rising-chicago-violence-officials-say/

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/school-shootings-urban-districts-metal-detectors-security-measures-drugs-gangs/

http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/school-metal-detectors/

https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/schoolviolence/data_stats.html