Many education clients have asked us what they can do to prevent violence in their schools. While the School can never completely control the actions of students, staff or third parties, the following pro-active steps are recommended in an effort to promote a secure environment for all:
- Develop and enforce written policies that prohibit fighting, weapons, threats, harassment, and rude or discourteous behavior including speech. The School's handbook should clearly reserve to the School the right to discipline students for violations on School property and at School-related events, and for incidents occurring elsewhere of which the School becomes aware.
- Develop a written policy that reserves to the School the right to conduct reasonable searches of employees, students, and areas under their control for suspected violation of School policies regarding weapons, drugs, alcohol, stealing, etc.
- Provide dispute resolution opportunities and training for students, staff and parents.
- Use appropriate hiring practices for staff (criminal background checks, reference checks) and address performance/behavior problems with staff promptly.
- In responding to threats of violence by students or staff, consider potential requirements under the federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of handicap or disability, including mental or psychiatric disorders.
- By written policy or agreement, set standards of behavior for parents and other family members. If the standards are consistently not met despite warnings, take further action up to and including withdrawal of the student for serious violations by family members.
- Private schools may exclude individuals from school property for non-discriminatory reasons. If an individual enters the property after being informed, preferably in writing, not to be on the property, the police should be called for trespass.
|
