Violence Prevention

It is important that everyone in the school community, i.e., students, staff, parents and visitors, recognize and report any statement or behavior of an individual which is suggestive or predictive of future violent action. The tendency to rationalize or minimize statements or actions of concern has proven tragic in the past. Threatening comments, violent drawings, veiled suicidal statements, etc., all should be reported to a school administrator for further assessment.

Building administrators are responsible for ensuring that an individual who has exhibited threatening or other concerning behavior is effectively assessed regarding his/her potential for violent activity. Assessments should be comprehensive and will often include parental input, review of past behavior, current observations and interviews with the individual. Assessments are conducted by a building administrator in collaboration with the Safety and Security department and other appropriate district or law enforcement personnel.

Appropriate steps can be taken to safeguard the school environment by managing the individual in accordance with the findings of the assessment. Solutions may range from additional in-school counseling to law enforcement action.