Emotional Safety of Students

Emotional Safety of Students

Some believe that a safe school is one in which the total school environment allows students, teachers, administrators, staff, and visitors to interact in a positive, nonthreatening manner that reflects the educational mission of the school while fostering positive relationships and personal growth. Significant effects on the school climate and the ways in which students resolve problems are attributed to the decisions of individual teachers about classroom management theories or their choices of management practices and strategies. In a school free from violence, fear, and intimidation, acceptance and caring are promoted. Expectations for student behavior in this type of environment are clearly stated, consistently enforced, and justly applied.

More than just physical safety, school safety also implies intellectual and emotional safety. With intellectual safety, students know that they can say, “I don't understand,” and no one will laugh at them. They also realize they can think, doubt, and question what they are learning, and even make mistakes in a secure environment. A safety net is provided by classroom rules and procedures wherein individuals are free to express their concerns and ideas.

Emotional safety is also important. Some researchers have found that violent events such as those at Columbine were preceded by incidents when the eventually violent students were teased, bullied, or ostracized by others or when they were isolated from other students.

Student threats and school violence range from harassment to murder. Student threats are verbal communications to engage in physical, sexual, or psychological aggression that may result in injury or death. Threats can be made by students against other students or teachers, and teachers against students, although most threats and acts of school violence are by students against other students.

The identification of potentially violent and threatening students can help reduce incidents of school violence. Early warning signs ...