Violence in Schools
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Violence in Schools
The disturbances caused by violence in our nation's public elementary and secondary schools are a national concern. Crime in and around schools threatens the well being of students, school staff, and communities. It can also hinder learning and student achievement. One of the goals of the National Education Goals states that by the year 2000, "all schools in America will be free of drugs and violence and the unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol, and offer a disciplined environment that is conducive to learning." To achieve this goal, the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1994 provides for support of drug and violence prevention programs. The Act includes an impact evaluation component, which contains a provision requiring the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to collect data to determine the frequency, seriousness, and incidence of violence in elementary and secondary schools.
School violence can happen many different kinds of ways. It includes gang activity, locker thefts, bullying and intimidation, the use of guns or threats, assaultjust about anything that would result in a victim. Violence is perpetrated against students, teachers, and staff, and ranges from intentional vendettas to accidental killings of bystanders. Often, discussions of school violence are lumped together with discussions of school discipline generally, as both involve questions of how to maintain order in a school...