An interesting report was recently released by Child Trends looking at the evolution of state school safety laws since the Columbine school shooting
This report explores how seven topics identified by the Federal School Safety Commission (FSSC) in its December 2018 final report have emerged in state statutes and regulations (including those from Washington, DC) over the past 20 years.
This report reveals that most school safety laws passed after high-profile school shooting incidents primarily focus on preparing for, not preventing, such events. Although many states have incorporated strategies associated with violence prevention into their policies, such as those related to school climate or social and emotional learning, these laws were largely not connected to school shooting incidents.
The seven topics addressed in this report have direct implications for school practice and the state laws that govern such efforts:
- Character development and culture of connectedness
- Cyberbullying
- Mental health and counseling
- Anonymous reporting systems and threat assessments
- School personnel training
- School building security
- Active shooter preparedness
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Adam Lustig
Director, Center for Safe Schools
National School Boards Association
Alexandria, VA
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