Recent publicized incidents of actual and potential school violence raise several key issues of school safety and emergency response planning. 

Awareness     A tragic incident at the Green Bay, WI High School was narrowly averted due to a concerned student speaking up.  In every major incident of student on student/staff school violence, it was later learned that some students were aware that another student, or group of students, was discussing revenge and attacks, making threats, and/or otherwise clearly demonstrating the early warning signs or indicators of potential violence.  It is not enough to just state that students, as well as staff and parents, have a responsibility to report threatening or potentially violent behavior, for most children and teens fear being perceived as "squealers" or "snitches."  They must be made to understand the importance of speaking up, that it is the right thing to do, and that they are essential parts of the safety and security process.  They should also understand what the early warning signs and indicators are.

Respect   Schools and workplaces where an atmosphere of civility and respect has been established tend to be safer places.  Where people manage, teach and relate according to the Golden Rule and where people treat each other with respect, feelings of isolation, resentment and revenge are less likely to build and fester.  This is especially true during situations that are stressful and could intensify feelings of resentment, often called triggering or precipitating events.  Such events could include discipline, suspensions, expulsions, terminations, etc.  It is critical that the dignity of all involved be preserved, even during those difficult experiences.  After all, if some perceive they have lost their dignity they may perceive they have nothing left to lose.  It should be noted that respect and civility is, to a degree, a matter of perception and often needs to be taught.   For example, often the bully who treats others with little respect perceives that he or she is the victim of unfair or disrespectful treatment.

Access Control    The recent tragedies in Bailey, CO and Lancaster County, PA demonstrated that the threat may not always come from the inside from students or staff, but may come in the form of an outside intruder.  I have often found schools unduly accessible because the main office is distant from or out of sight of the main entry, office staff aren't paying attention, other doors are left open or propped for ventilation, persons "tailgate" behind others at access points, students open doors to strangers, entries aren't supervised during the morning arrival of students, etc.   While the process will differ depending upon the layout and logistics of the school, there should be an access control process by which no person can enter the facility, especially before and during class hours, without being somehow screened and controlled.  This should apply to all staff, visitors, parents, contractors and any other persons with legitimate reasons to be in the school.

Emergency and Crisis Planning     I have found that, while districts and schools usually have some level of emergency and crisis plans in place, often the focus is mostly upon accidental incidents such as fire, medical emergencies and natural disasters (e.g. tornado, snowstorm, hurricane, flood, etc.) with less that addresses purposeful or man-made incidents such as the intruder, bomb threats, violence prevention and response, sabotage, civil disturbance, labor disruption,  heightened DHS Alert Levels, etc.  For example, I will usually ask the school receptionist what she or he will do if they receive a bomb threat, and I often get a response that they don't know what their response should be.  Likewise, there should be a bomb threat assessment and response process that provides guidelines as to making the evacuation decision, searches, etc.   Intruder alert and response processes are often inconsistent and not fully understood by all.  I don't always find a process for threat mitigation, management and response to address threats and violence, or even a violence prevention process that would include relevant policies, procedures, training and communications.

Dick Sem (Dick.Sem@SemSecurity.com) is President of Sem Security Management, a security and workplace violence consulting firm based in Wisconsin.