School Safety Research Articles

Evaluation of an Educator Mental Health Literacy Online Training Package

ABSTRACTEducators and school staff are critical to recognizing and supporting students' mental health, but frequently do not have the training to confidently bring mental health literacy into the classroom or assist students who experience distress. Moreover, few free, easily accessible trainings are available for this audience. Classroom Well‐being Information and Strategies for Educators (Classroom WISE) is a free, K‐12 mental health literacy training package that includes a self‐paced online course, video library, and resource collection. Using pre‐ and postcourse anonymous surveys from over 2000 educators, school mental health professionals, and school staff who completed Classroom WISE, this study found high levels of satisfaction, significant increases in mental health literacy knowledge, high perceived importance of mastering skills to promote student well‐being, and increased preparedness to implement mental health‐related strategies. Participants reported intentions to bring mental health literacy into the classroom, and identified barriers and facilitators to using Classroom WISE that leaders can respond to or employ when moving to implement Classroom WISE across a school or district. School district or school‐wide use of Classroom WISE can assist in building a safe and supportive school environment and help students in need to access mental health services.

Core Competences of School Nurses for the Development of Anti-Bullying Strategies: Protocol for a Scoping Review

Background/Objectives: School nurses are capable of fostering safe and healthy school environments that are favorable to quality learning and social interactions. To this end, it is essential that they acquire a set of skills needed to implement bullying intervention programs. This article describes the protocol for a scoping review to identify and map the core competences for school nurses to develop anti-bullying strategies. Methods: The review will be conducted according to the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. The review will include primary, secondary, and gray literature, including theses and reports, found through comprehensive research in several databases: Scopus, WoS, APA PsycINFO, Embase, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), ERIC, LILACS, BDENF, IBECS, Cochrane Library, CAPES Dissertations and Theses Portal, RCAAP, Theses Canada, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and Google Scholar, as well as reference tracking. No geographical restrictions will be applied. The studies must include investigations into actions and interventions conducted by or involving nurses for the prevention of bullying in the school context. Two reviewers will act independently in screening the studies and extracting data using an extraction tool developed by the research team. Results: The results will be presented in a tabular format, supported by a narrative synthesis. The details of the scoping review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Conclusions: We anticipate that our scoping review will to strengthen a field of nursing that is still little explored, showing the school nurses’ role in prevent bullying episodes.

STRENGTHENING SPIRITUAL MENTALITY THROUGH POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS: THE PREVENTIVE ROLE OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION TEACHERS IN ADDRESSING BULLYING

Bullying cases that occur among students in Indonesia today have become a problem that has become mainstream. Various official data information from the government reinforces this problem. This article aims to explore from the side of subjects who should play a preventive role in suppressing bullying cases among students as a form of their social competence responsibility. Phenomenological design was chosen to explore the experiences of 18 PAI teachers in elementary and junior high schools in providing positive affirmation to students. Two dimensions of positive affirmation were explored, namely self-acceptance and affirmation to prevent bullying through a closed questionnaire and then inductively content analyzed. The results of the study found that the involvement of the integration approach of spiritual values colored the positive affirmations given by PAI Teachers to encourage students to become individuals who are self-accepting, honest, positive, independent, and respectful of differences, strong mentality, self-confidence, and a safe school environment from bullying. This finding has implications and contributes to the importance of optimizing the role of subjects who have the opportunity to work preventively as part of their professionalism to reduce cases of bullying among students.

“That Percentage of Safer”: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Homeschool Parents’ Perspectives of School Safety

ABSTRACT School safety has been widely studied from the perspectives of administrators, teachers, and students in traditional education settings. However, parents’ perceptions of school safety have been largely overlooked. Moreover, it is unknown how homeschool parents conceptualize safety in educational settings despite school safety being a known motivator for homeschooling. This mixed-methods study uses two years of national-level survey data from 2,124 respondents and four focus groups with thirteen participants to investigate homeschool parents’ school safety concerns. Supporting existing literature, we find that homeschool parents are likely to also be parents of special-needs learners. Findings suggest homeschool parents are not concerned with physical as much as psychological and academic safety. Moreover, homeschool parents tend to frame the concepts and concerns of school safety through the lens their own or their children’s prior traditional school experiences. Study limitations, practitioner implications, and future directions for research are discussed.

Pengenalan Teknologi Digital dan Etika Online melalui POSASI (Poster Edukasi) sebagai Upaya Pencegahan Cyberbullying di Kalangan Siswa MTs Al-Ittihad

MTs Al Ittihad, located in Malang Regency, East Java, faces serious challenges related to bullying, both physical and through social media (cyberbullying). Malang Regency has reported 65 cases of bullying, an increase from 42 cases in 2021. The causes of bullying can be categorized into two groups: internal and external factors. Internal factors include the inability to manage emotions, where individuals with trauma, such as victims of broken homes, tend to express anger and frustration through bullying behavior. External factors encompass environment, peer relationships, and family; for instance, if someone grows up in an environment that promotes violence, they are more likely to engage in bullying. With the advancement of technology, bullying now occurs not only physically but also on digital platforms, known as cyberbullying. Actions like negative comments on social media can disrupt the mental well-being of victims and diminish their concentration in learning. To address this issue, a community service team is implementing the program “Introduction to Digital Technology and Online Ethics Through POSASI (Educational Posters).” This program aims to create a safe and inclusive school environment, reminding students of the importance of respecting differences, protecting one another from cyberbullying, and fostering a positive culture among MTs Al Ittihad students.

School environment and adolescent health: Results from the HPTN 068 cohort

PurposeTo assess the relationship between school environment and health and behavior outcomes. MethodsData are from baseline and first follow-up of the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 068 longitudinal trial established in 2012 of adolescent girls and young women in rural Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Data from 2212 participants are included. We measured the association between four school environment domains: school resources, school safety, negative personal experiences, and school connectedness, and several health and behavior outcomes: depressive symptoms, low attendance, recent pregnancy, recent unprotected sex, transactional sex, and having an older romantic partner. We used a g-computation approach to estimate risk differences (RD) for the longitudinal relationship between the school environment (measured at the individual and school level) on individual health and behavior outcomes, controlling for baseline covariates. ResultsThe mean age of participants at baseline was 15.4; mean age at first follow-up was 16.6. Individual baseline perceptions of an unsafe school environment (RD = 3.1 %, 95 % CI: 1.3–5.2 %) and more frequent negative experiences (RD = 4.0 %, 95 % CI: 2.0–5.9 %) were associated with higher absolute risk of depressive symptoms at follow-up. There was an overall trend toward higher risk of pregnancy, unprotected sex, and having an older partner among those who reported fewer school resources, lack of school safety, more negative personal experiences, and lack of school connectedness. ConclusionsOur findings provide evidence of an overall trend toward higher risk of depression, pregnancy, unprotected sex, and having an older partner among those reporting a worse school environment across four school environment domains.

Exploring crisis management measures taken by school leaders at the unpredictable crisis – case COVID-19

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic was an unpredictable crisis for schools. Schools transitioned their teaching from classrooms to teaching online. The holistic safety of the schools’ was under a serious threat. Various measures of crisis management aimed at upholding holistic school safety, which includes physical, social, psychological and pedagogical safety.This review employs both narrative review method and thematic analysis to investigate the crisis management measures that school leaders undertook during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in terms of holistic school safety while modifying key operations of the school. In addition, the stressors and resources of school leaders’ were examined. The non-systematic, explorative search for literature conducted between autumn 2020 and spring 2021 yielded a total of 10 articles.School leaders’ crisis management measures to maintain holistic school safety in 2020 comprised running the organization, supporting teachers, and supporting students. Extensive measures to limit physical contact posed a threat to psychological, social and pedagogical safety. School leaders worked in a stressful situation. Flexibility and human-centered approach were necessary to cope.In future crises, predicting consequences at every level is important when preparing plans and considering leaders’ tasks as part of crisis management plans to ensure holistic school safety. In crisis situations, priority must be given to tackling the primary threat, but the overall impact of measures on school safety must be taken into account.

Risk factors threatening children’s safety in the school environment

School safety encompasses risk reduction efforts to ensure that children act in an environment that is safe and promotes the well-being of the students to achieve their full potential. Therefore, a safe and secure environment is a prerequisite for effective teaching and learning. This scoping review aims to address a range of school safety risk factors and introduce the complexity of school safety. School is believed to be a safe learning and growing environment; however, various conditions can threaten children’s safety in a school setting and lead to injuries caused by accidents, risky or/ aggressive behavior, or environmental exposure. In addition to the physical, psychological, and behavioral characteristics of children that make them particularly vulnerable to accidents, there are several unpredictable risks associated with natural or man-made conditions or disasters that can also put children at extreme risk. A balance between safety, surveillance, and emergency preparedness measures may be beneficial to create a safety culture in schools that will enable student behavioral and intervention support.

Inequalities in education in the COVID-19 pandemic: health and education professionals’ perspectives

Abstract Background Cycles of school closure and reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with remote learning, led to concerns about increasing inequality in education that persist in 2024. The aim of this abstract, within a wider study of safe school reopening, is to explore health and education professionals’ perceptions of inequalities among students during the pandemic. Methods In 2021, online semi-structured interviews were conducted in 6 languages with education and health professionals. They explored the: 1-effect of the pandemic on schools/pupils/teachers; 2-reorganisation of schools; 3-experience of implementing infection control measures in schools; 4-intersectoral working; 5-important resources for keeping schools open. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and translated into English where needed. A deductive qualitative analysis was undertaken using the conceptual framework developed by the United Nations H6+ Technical Working Group on Adolescent Health and Well-Being. Domain 3 (safety and supportive environment) includes consideration of equality. Results 62 interviews were included in the analysis (22 health and 40 education professionals from 28 countries). Professionals perceived greater negative impact on education for specific groups of students. Those with chronic illness stayed out of school for longer than others. Good access to distance learning was difficult for students from rural areas (lack of internet/electricity), disadvantaged families (lack of electronic equipment) or larger families (less learning space at home). Conclusions Professionals perceived that school closures intensified the disadvantage experienced by certain groups of students, exacerbating inequalities in education. Targeted catch-up strategies are still needed. Key messages • School closure during the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated inequalities in education. • In future health crisis impacting schooling, targeted catch-up strategies would be needed for certain groups of students.

Strategies to promote safety for sexual and gender minority youth in secondary schools: A longitudinal analysis.

In order to promote school safety for sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY), many schools implement strategies such as SGM-focused policies and gender-sexuality alliances (GSAs). Little is known about the effects such strategies have over time on feelings of safety at school for SGMY. Hierarchical Linear Models were conducted using longitudinal data from 417 SGMY attending secondary schools to examine trajectories of feelings of safety and the effects of SGM-focused policies, GSA presence, or GSA membership on feelings of safety. Findings indicate that SGM-focused policies and GSAs had direct benefits for safety at school SGMY, both independently and in combination; however, GSA membership was not. Schools should implement a combination of school strategies to promote safer environments for SGMY.

School Social Workers’ Reports of Differences in Policies and Practices in Trauma-Informed and Non-Trauma-Informed Schools

This study explored trauma-informed schools from the perspective of social workers, documenting the reported practices and policies associated with trauma-informed approaches in U.S. schools. Survey data from 538 school social workers were analyzed to investigate the differences in policies and practices between schools identified as trauma informed and not. Logistic regression analyses examined whether the presence of specific school practices and policies was associated with the identification of a school as trauma informed. Of a wide array of programs and policies that may be present in trauma-informed schools, only the presence of trauma training and resources for secondary traumatic stress were key predictors of social workers’ identification of a school as trauma informed. The implementation of trauma training has long been the primary focus of trauma-informed approaches in schools. Should commitment to trauma-informed approaches endure, we recommend moving beyond training and secondary traumatic stress resources to deepen the field’s focus on implementing trauma-informed practices and policies at all organizational levels. We also recommend that future research looks carefully at how some school safety and trauma-informed approaches may be incompatible and the extent to which trauma-informed approaches improve or detract from children’s educational experiences and outcomes.

Tren Peran Guru Bimbingan Dan Konseling Dalam Mencegah Perundungan Di Sekolah Periode 2019-2023

This research examines the trends in strategies implemented by guidance and counseling (BK) teachers in preventing bullying during the 2019-2023 period. This research uses a literature study method by analyzing various sources of literature which aims to identify the development of approaches implemented by guidance and counseling teachers to overcome bullying. The results of the analysis show that there is consistency in the utilization of basic services, responsive interventions, and collaboration with various parties carried out by guidance and counseling teachers. There is a significant improvement with the presence of the Merdeka Curriculum which provides more opportunities for students to explore anti-bullying values. This study also identified an increase in the role of technology in efforts to prevent bullying, the need and importance of the role of parents, and comprehensive and sustainable school policies. Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics shows a change in bullying cases occurring in Central Java with the age range of 0-18 years, with a significant increase occurring in 2023 to 1,327 cases. This study aims to provide a foundation for the development of a more effective bullying prevention program for the future, focusing on establishing a safe and supportive school environment for all students.

The association between teacher distress and student mental health outcomes: a cross-sectional study using data from the school mental health survey

BackgroundFew studies have examined the inter-relationships between teacher and student mental health. We aimed to examine associations between teacher distress and student mental health difficulties and if student perceptions of school safety moderate these associations.MethodData from 23,568 students in grades 6–12 and 1,478 teachers from 268 schools participating in the School Mental Health Surveys in Ontario, Canada, were used. Three-level (student, classroom, school) multivariable linear regression models were fit to examine associations between teacher distress and student internalizing and externalizing symptoms by elementary (grades 6–8) and secondary (grades 9–12) school. Statistical interactions were used to evaluate effect modification.ResultsSmall but statistically significant, positive associations were found between teacher distress and internalizing (b = 0.02; 95% CI [0.01, 0.04], p < 0.05) and externalizing symptoms (b = 0.03; 95% CI [0.01, 0.05], p < 0.001) among elementary students only. Student perceptions of school safety moderated the association between teacher distress and externalizing symptoms among elementary students, whereby the positive association was magnified among students reporting lower school safety.ConclusionsFindings from this study highlight the importance of concurrently addressing the mental health needs of educators and students. School safety represents a modifiable target for prevention and intervention efforts in schools that could serve to promote student mental health and mitigate potential risk factors in schools.

Empowering Futures: The Impact of Cultural, Social, and Economic Disparities on Girls' Education in Jhelum, Pakistan

Gender inequality poses a challenge to the educational participation of teenage-girls in Jhelum Pakistan. This paper seeks to examine the complex factors underpinning and the extensive effects of gender inequalities in education within this area. The present study details various causes of gender inequalities as analyzed from a qualitative content analysis of various works, which include economic factors, social-cultural beliefs and practices; early marriage, lack of awareness, physical facilities, and gender biases. This study finds that all these factors work together to exclude girls from education and maintain poverty and non-advancement of socio-economic status. Finally, the discussion highlights the need to establish various strategies to address gender inequality, such as; community sensitization, increasing the percentage of girls education, finances, establishing safe school structures, and favorable laws on gender. The solution to these recommendations would help Jhelum move towards the right direction for giving teenage-girls equal education opportunities and better community.

Identifying facilitators and barriers to implementing the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System in Miami-Dade County, USA: a qualitative study

BackgroundMultiple anonymous reporting systems (ARS) have been implemented to prevent school violence and improve school climate. This study examines the facilitators and barriers to implementation and the role and usability...

Examination of state-level school safety data dashboard characteristics

Choices made on data visualizations guide how users make meaning of the information presented. This research investigates design decisions made on 115 state-level dashboards reporting school safety data. Using pre-determined codes drawn from a framework of visualization rhetoric, dashboard characteristics were described and analyzed. Analysis demonstrates that school safety dashboards vary significantly in types of school safety data included as well as how such data are presented. Most dashboards lack specific interpretative text or narration, meaning the messages and stories communicated by dashboards are influenced largely by choices in data included, how it is visually represented, and the interactivity provided to users. The choices craft divergent stories about school safety for dashboard users—including, but not limited to, those that foreground student behavior as the central threat, those that present school practices as problematic, and those that center community creation—which may shape public discourse around school safety. In concert, rhetorical choices reflect different perspectives on safety, students, and schools.

Analysis of the environmental factors contributing to road traffic accidents involving school-aged pedestrian children in urban Algerian settings

Despite efforts by the Algerian government and civil society to improve road safety, traffic accidents remain a significant issue, particularly affecting children and youth. Data from the National Delegation for Road Safety (NDSR) reveals that this demographic is especially vulnerable, with 371 child fatalities recorded during the 2020-2021 school year. This study evaluated road safety around twelve primary schools in Oued El Abtal district, Mascara province, and aimed to identify effective interventions through a participatory approach involving 1,074 students. An anonymous questionnaire was used to capture students' perceptions of road risks, and the data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics V27. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were applied to examine associations between gender and variables like travel mode, school accompaniment, student behavior, and crossing locations. The sample was balanced by gender, consisting of 50.9% boys and 49.1% girls. Walking was the predominant travel mode (75.2%; n=808). Key risk factors included inadequate infrastructure (3.2%), insufficient signage (11.7%), sidewalk obstructions (5.1%), dangerous driving behaviors (12.2%, with speeding at 29.5%), heavy traffic (16.2%), and poor urban planning (e.g., lack of speed bumps and low visibility). These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve the safety of school commutes. This research identifies critical risk factors in school travel, providing a foundation for developing strategies aimed at enhancing road safety for children in Algeria.

School District Discourse Coalitions and Equity-Focused Policy Innovations in Oakland, California 2020–2021

Purpose: To better understand how district leaders at urban school districts innovate and design policies, this study investigated how actors in one district, Oakland Unified School District, discussed ways to improve their education system at school board meetings during 2020 and 2021. Approach: The research used a case study approach to develop a process of inquiry, drawing on theoretical literature on innovation in social fields, empirical work on urban education reforms, and methodological considerations from critical social analysis techniques. It used a variety of qualitative methods to identify critical policy issues and policy innovations, and examined the way actors in two coalitions, each with a different approach to change, used discourse to convey their ideologies about racial equity and justice. Findings: District actors collaboratively designed and passed five innovative policies: school safety, remote learning, climate change, Black reparations, and mental health. While one group, the incumbent discourse coalition, focused attention on fiscal stability and closing underperforming schools, another, the challenger discourse coalition, conveyed strategies on improving schools and surrounding communities through new education policies. Though unexpected crises expedited innovation, the perspectives of the dominant culture were most privileged in the final designs of resolutions. Implications: By using broad theories and generalizable concepts this study shows how discourse in policymaking can be examined in other settings and illustrates ways similar school districts may innovate in their systems.

Examining Parents' Opinions on Safe School

The aim of this study is to examine the views of parents on safe schools and to develop solutions to the problems encountered in a safe school environment based on these views. The research was conducted with phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research methods. The study group of the research consists of 16 parents selected by criterion sampling and maximum sampling method. The research was carried out with volunteer parents who have at least one student in primary school, secondary school, high school age, high school, bachelor's or master's degree graduates in Fatih district of Istanbul province. The data of the study were collected by semi-structured interview technique and analysed with descriptive analysis method. According to the results obtained, parents' views on safe school were categorised under 6 themes. These themes are safe school ecosystem, social relations and educational safety, health and safety balance in education, resources and implementations for safety and governance, communication and solidarity, safe behaviour and moral values. As a result, it has been determined that parents' views on safe school environment are mainly gathered around physiological and psychological safety for students and school climate based on mutual trust of stakeholders. Based on these results, it is recommended that policy makers and implementers in education should prioritise measures to ensure school safety.

Ethnoracial variation in school victimization and adolescent substance use

Adolescent substance abuse is a pressing public health concern. While a large literature has investigated factors linked to adolescent substance use and its outcomes, less research considers the intersection of race-ethnicity, school victimization, and substance use. The present study uses nationally representative data from the 2009–2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (n = 66,906) and insights from stress process and critical race perspectives to examine ethnoracial variation in associations between school victimization (i.e., bullied, threatened with a weapon, and feeling unsafe on the way to school) and use of substances (i.e., hard drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana). Results showed that all victimization measures were associated with significant increases in using all four substances. Compared with whites, Native Americans experienced higher odds of using most substances while Asians and Blacks were generally less likely to use substances. Race-ethnicity moderated victimization-substance use associations, but patterns diverged based on victimization form and substance under consideration. Threats involving a weapon were linked to greater hard drug use for white and Hispanic adolescents than Blacks. School safety concerns were associated with larger increases in Asian adolescents’ hard drug use than whites, Blacks, and Hispanics, and greater marijuana use for Hispanic and white adolescents relative to Blacks. This study complicates the significance of school victimization for substance use such that race-ethnicity factors to a great extent into the presence of associations.