In the light of almost daily media reports of accidents and incidents of violence in South African schools, it can be assumed that most South African schools are unsafe. This study investigates the manner in which rural public schools implement the school safety regulations prescribed by the South African Schools Act to ensure learner safety. This qualitative study investigates the implementation of the Schools Act’s safety regulations at four public schools situated in the rural areas east of Pretoria in Gauteng. Data was gathered using interviews with the principals of these schools as well as by the observation and recording of the normal day-to-day activities at the school and by an analysis of each school’s school safety policy. The interviews with the principals focused on the manner in which each school implements the regulations for school safety in areas such as access to the school and the conducting of searches, the arranging of trips and excursion and the planning and managing water-based activities and the early release of learners. Observation at each of the four schools focused on the physical condition of the school and the schools’ procedures for playground duty, fire fighting and emergency drills. The analysis of each school’s safety policy aimed to determine the compliance of these policies with the Schools Act regulations and to determine the practicability and effectiveness of each policy. The researcher’s conclusions include the fact that none of four schools had an effective and practicable school safety policy in place and were not implementing their inadequate policies effectively. He suggests among other things a comprehensive compulsory school safety training programme including aspects such as information on the intent, content and aims of the school safety regulations, the concepts of liability and negligence and methods for drafting, adopting and implementing effective school safety policies. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

D.Ed. / Chapter one provided a general introduction and motivation for the study, and the challenges of discipline, safety and security (DSS) were also introduced. A general background to discipline, safety and security challenges was provided. The research problem and research aims were formulated and the research methodology was discussed. The focus of the research was clearly demarcated. The chapter was concluded by clarifying the concepts related to the research topic and outlining the division of chapters. In Chapter two a literature review was undertaken in order to determine the essence of DSS challenges and the extent of the challenges. In an analysis of the global perspectives in South America, Australia, and Botswana it became clear that DSS was a world wide phenomenon. Specific DSS challenges such as bullying, violence, substance abuse, guns and weapons, gangsterism, child abuse, HIV/AIDS and child-headed families were discussed. In Chapter three a discussion of possible intervention strategies which could be of assistance to the school management and the SGB in maintaining DSS in schools in schools was done. General characteristics of well-disciplined and safe schools were discussed as functional Codes of Conduct for learners, effective leadership, a positive school culture and climate, strong parental and community partnerships and effective communication. The following were identified and discussed as strategies for managing DSS challenges in schools: co-operative discipline, behaviour management, developing resilience in learners, developing self-esteem in learners, establishing a process for conflict resolution, co-operative learning use of physical environment, time management and learner motivation. The Boys and Girls Town educational model was discussed and important discipline, safety and security lessons for all stakeholders were clearly identified.

According to the National Association of School Resource Officers (2009), every state in the nation employs school resource officers. The trend, which began in 1991, was initially funded by federal monies. Since that time, school resource officers have remained in schools, gaining popularity as a proactive strategy in fighting against school violence. The purpose of the study was to examine students' and teachers' perceptions regarding school resource officers' performance related to the 3 dimensions of their responsibilities: maintaining a safe environment, enforcing the law, and teaching. Data were gathered from 104 teachers and 272 students from a middle school and a high school, totaling 376 participants. An analysis of data was based on 6 research questions and information gathered from participant surveys. A t test for independent samples was then conducted to evaluate the mean differences for the 3 dimensions measured in the survey. The following grouping variables were used in the comparisons for each dimension: students and teachers, male and female students, male and female teachers, teachers with varied years of experience, middle and high school students, and middle and high school teachers. A significance difference was found between middle school students and high school students regarding each dimension, suggesting that middle school students observed school resource officers actively performing each role to a higher degree than did high school students. There was also a significant difference between teachers and students regarding the role of maintaining a safe environment and enforcing the law, suggesting that teachers observed school resource officers more active in these roles than in the role of counseling. A significant difference was also found between high school teachers and middle school teachers regarding the role of enforcing the law. High school teachers observed enforcement of law more than middle school teachers. This study suggests that school resource officers' roles need to be clearly defined for teachers and students. Students need to know they can report crime, have knowledge that they are being monitored, and know they have resources available other than administrators and teachers.

This study is a description of male and female secondary students' experiences of safety in public schools. Gender differences in reported victimization and perceptions of school safety have been noted. The National Center for Educational Statistics ([NCES], 2006) reported that boys were the victims of violent acts in the schools more often than girls. Many studies have reported different results relating to how safe students perceive their schools to be (Addington et al., 2002; Office of Educational Research and Improvement, 1997). This study considered gender differences and similarities in students' perceptions of school safety. The study utilized a qualitative research approach to describe students' experiences. Focus groups composed of secondary public school students discussed their perceptions and experiences of school safety. The focus groups were divided into three categories: mixed genders, all male, and all female. The data were analyzed by gender to provide descriptions of what might contribute to students' perceptions, experiences, and feelings in school. Students reported feelings of safety and danger in the schools from the following sources: peers, teachers and staff, and environmental context. Within these three categories the following themes were identified: (a) peers included friends, groups, and weapons; (b) teachers and staff included supervision and student-teacher relationships; and (c) environmental context included hallways and cameras/officers. Gender differences were noted in students' comments describing their experiences related to safety in the schools. Boys reported looking toward teachers and peers for protection from physical harm. Girls reported using relationships with friends and school faculty members as a source of emotional security and comfort. Similarities across gender were noted in students' perceptions regarding the need for extra security measures and the need for more trusting relationships with teachers and peers. Based on students' comments and considering gender differences, the effectiveness of school safety measures may be increased if administration considered the needs of each gender.

Mokyklos aplinką, jos įtaką vaiko asmenybės brendimui bei tiesioginiams mokymo rezultatams tyrinėjo nemažai lietuvių ir užsienio autorių. Mokinių nesaugumas mokykloje gali turėti labai neigiamas pasekmes fizinei ir psichinei sveikatai, mokymosi rezultatams, mokymosi motyvacijai, prastėja socialiniai įgūdžiai. Visa tai gali sukelti kliūtis tokių mokinių sėkmingai adaptacijai visuomenėje, socialinei integracijai. Mokinių psichologinei savijautai turi įtakos patiriamas smurtas, patyčios. Kadangi smurto apraiškų mokykloje pasitaiko gana dažnai, susiduriama su problema, kad mokyklose mokiniai pasijunta nesaugūs dėl bendramokslių smurto, tai savo ruožtu daro įtaką jų mokymosi motyvacijai, savirealizacijai, socializacijai. Patyrę smurtą mokiniai dažniausiai jaučia nerimą ir baimę. Nerimas iš esmės kyla iš subjektyvaus vertinimo, kad kilo grėsmė fiziniams ar psichologiniams „aš“. Mokiniui labai sunku susidoroti su tokia psichologine būsena ir jeigu šalia nėra žmonių, kuriais gali pasitikėti, jis praranda saugumo jausmą. Tokia ilgalaikė būsena gali turėti skaudžių pasekmių. Šio tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti Kauno miesto bendrojo lavinimo vidurinių mokyklų VI – IX klasių mokinių saugumo mokykloje ir patiriamo nerimo sąsajas. Tyrimo metodai ir tiriamieji. Tyrimui naudotas Mokyklos aplinkos saugumo klausimynas, Patyčių testas ir Mokyklinio nerimo testas. Tyrime dalyvavo 590 mokiniai: 296 mergaitės ir 294 berniukai. Tirti šeštų – devintų klasių mokiniai. Mokinių amžius nuo 11 iki 17 metų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / School safetly is one of the major problems in Lithuania and whole world as well. This problem prevails everywhere, in the shools and outside their borders. The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between school safety and shool anxiety among 6 th and 9 th class students. Drug dealing or alcohol outlets anywhere near a school increase the likelihood of substance abuse-fueled antisocial behavior, either by students or against students. Children who feel safe are both psychologically and physiologically more receptive to learning. Material and methods. The date of the anonymous survey OFM 590, sixth, seventh, eighth and ningth - grade students (aged 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 tears respectively) from six secondary shools of Kaunas, conducted in the spring of 2009, were analyzed. The studentas completed the school safetly questionnaire, school bullying test that included self-report being bullied by others, and school anxiety test. The response rate was 90 %. Results. The statistic date analysis shows that 9,2 % boys and 5,8 % girls doesn‘t feel safe at shool. Most not safetly places for girls at shool are: shool yard (44,6 %), school corridors, (42,3%), breake time (40,1 %). Most not safetly places for boys at school are: break time (32,5 %), school yard (31,7 proc.), school corridors (31,6 proc.), answearing in class (24,8 proc.), at school parties (22,0 %.), canteen (18,9 %). Conclussion. The reasearch doesn‘t indicate relationship between safetly of school... [to full text]

abstract: Despite the concern over school shootings in the last twenty years, little has been done to prevent these events. This paper addresses the need to have a consistent definition of a school shooting. The policies that have been enacted in the eight states with the most shootings in the past 20 are categorized and compared to the number of incidences and victims. The study concludes that states need fewer reactionary policies and more policies based on systematic research; these states pass a majority of zero-tolerance, which are shown to be ineffective in preventing school shootings suggesting a need for a new approach to writing and addressing policy. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Integrative Social Science 2020

School climate is a determinant of academic performance, as supported by evidence in developed countries. However, there are limited studies from developing countries to test this hypothesis. The few studies that have attempted to explore this topic are often limited to educators. Studies in South Africa show this limitation, hence the motivation to explore school climate from the students' perspective. This study is focused on students' perception of school climate and how it impacts their academic lives. Two schools from the Western Cape Province were used as case studies. They were Pinelands and Langa High Schools, institutions that are distinct in terms of their history, location, resources, demographics and academic performance. The results of the study revealed that most students do not feel safe physically and emotionally in the school environment. In a multiracial school, the main concern is around interpersonal relationship, particularly the level of social support received from teachers; while in a black and disadvantaged school, the concerns are around institutional environment relating to the physical environment and facilities in school. Additionally, students from the privileged school had more emotional concerns, and did not believe that teachers supported them socially, while those from the disadvantaged school had physical safety concerns but believed that their teachers are supportive both academically and socially. The study concludes with a recommendation for future studies to consider more than two schools, expand the geographical scope, employ rigorous data collection, and assess multi-stakeholder perceptions of school climate and the link it has to academic performance so as to improve reliability and generalisability of the findings.

Since the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado, there have been two-hundred and thirty more school shootings in the United States, not including those that have happened at colleges or universities[1]. This has been a major change that American school systems have been struggling to adapt to, especially since many of the schools were built in the 1950s and 1960s. In the wake of these recurring tragedies, there are strategies that can be followed to not only provide safer schools that will protect students, but also design with empathy in mind. This thesis will examine how architecture can inspire empathy in a school, while also providing a safe learning environment. Specifically, the generator for these design strategies will be a new design for Chelmsford High School, serving grades nine through twelve. This age range is particularly important to serve and inspire, as the average age of a school shooter is sixteen. High schools that inspire empathy will make students more excited to be at school and more interested in taking care of their community and building. The program of this new design will provide and support the education and safety of students, faculty, and staff. It will also act as a beacon where people in the surrounding community can participate in activities outside of school hours. This will foster a connection, and provide a second home for more than just employees and students who use the school on a daily basis. [1] (Goode, 2018)

No description available.

Active shooter events in K-12 schools have increased since 1990, and developing response policies to such events is a responsibility of school personnel. A paucity of data regarding options-based response practices existed with no focus on policy processes. The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to describe the decision-making processes used in school districts when approving the inclusion of options-based responses to active shooter events in Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs). The research questions addressed processes that shaped the development of options-based responses to active shooter policies in 3 K-12 school districts within the Midwest. The conceptual framework was informed by the theory of policy paradox and the concepts of situational awareness and resilience. Structured interviews were conducted with 12 school personnel and safety professionals involved in 3 high schools; EOPs and state and federal regulations and guidelines were reviewed. An analysis of the interview responses and document reviews using four levels of descriptive coding required a cross-case analytic technique to discover patterns, connections, and themes. Law enforcement and school personnel worked together to create policy and to implement trainings related to options-based response. Results included enhancing situational awareness and empowering teachers and students to become responsible for their safety. These findings can be used to inform and guide school leaders in their efforts to make policy and implementation decisions regarding active shooter policies in EOPs. The potential for social change exists in more school personnel understanding and implementing options-based response policies and making the lives of K-12 students safer.