School Violence: You Can Help Prevent It!

The ever-increasing rise in school violence across the United States, both student-on-student and student-on-teacher, is cause for alarm. Regardless, students and teachers often don't take action when warning signs arise, either due to complacency or a dismissal of potential threats as benign or merely sensationalistic acts of teenage aggression. This short instructional program looks at how to recognize warning signs—from less-direct indicators of possible violence such as a student's sudden shift in mood and/or obsession with death, to immediate dangers including direct verbal or written threats—as well as steps that can be taken to insure that threats don't escalate into violence. Four dramatizations here serve up scenarios revolving around emotional, physical, indirect, and direct threats, accompanied by illustrations of actions taken to nullify the situations, most of which entail the involvement of teachers or school administrators. These vignettes are followed by questions to help spur classroom discussion. A timely guidance title on a troubling topic, this is recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (P. Morehart)