The following SEICO blog content provides you with highlights from
The in-depth EVOLV Technology blog:
(A Proven Expert Weighs In: How to Make Schools Safer from Gun Violence)
Apply a multi-layered approach to school safety.
Every school needs a layered approach that spans people, processes and technology.
People Perspective
Narratives from within the schools – voices from students, teachers, administrators, support staff, and parents to determine steps needed to improve school safety. Reduce fear, anxiety and depression – leading factors in gun violence – through the introduction of trauma-informed care, restorative practices, professional learning communities, and transformational leadership workshops.
Processes
Schools can take a collaborative approach for school safety in both a preventative and responsive manner to bring educators, students, parents, and stakeholders together on the ways to prevent an incident and what to do if one happens.
Technology
A community weapons screening system discussion allows communities to come together to create safer environments where technology is one of several approaches.
Many students and teachers where AI-based weapons detection systems are installed, say these systems demonstrate that their districts are focusing on overall safety using preventative measures first.
Acknowledge that safety is an on-going priority and yes, it takes a village.
There is no magic wand or one single expert to address all safety issues. It’s an ongoing process where communities should focus on relationship building and de-escalation practices.
Amazing product experts and school safety experts
These experts provide tremendous value in collaborating with educators on the multi-layered approach to school safety. These safety experts do what they do best while educators and students focus on teaching and learning in safer environments.
Establish protocols before an incident occurs.
Just think about why schools are no longer one-room wooden houses and are now made of brick or why every school is required to have sprinklers, smoke detectors, fire alarms, call boxes, fire safety videos, and fire drills. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), from 1937-1954, there were eight U.S. school fires in grades K-12 that resulted in 755 deaths.
Today, fires still occur in schools, but are far fewer, and quickly contained with fatalities rare.
NFPA’s most recent data reports that in 2014-2018, fires caused annual averages of one civilian death, 39 civilian injuries, and $37 million in direct property damage. While every school tragedy is horrific, the actions that were put into place decades ago to reduce the risk of fires have also resulted in fewer fire-related deaths.
We need to apply the same logic to reducing gun violence in schools.
As gun violence continues to claim more lives, and the number of students and teachers killed in school gets higher, having systems to prevent weapons from entering should be part of safety protocols. Just like alarms for fires, schools need alarms for weapons to prevent them from entering the building.
Students perform their best when less anxious and distracted by the thought of gun violence.
Also, teachers aren’t ready to leave the profession because of warranted fears and stress that their lives are at risk and parents confidently send their children to school each morning knowing they will be able to tuck them in each night.
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