HUMAN RIGHTS »» CIVIL RIGHTS »» SCHOOL SAFETY »» Dec 21, 2020

Most instances of violence in our schools are limited to fisticuffs between students. However, serious school violence does occur in both suburban and urban schools. Although most gun violence occurs at large high schools, middle school students are more likely to bring weapons to school. A recent survey found that 95% of students said they felt safe in school. However, nearly a quarter of these students also said they knew students who regularly carried weapons to school. Surveys of high school students found that about 6% of all students had carried a gun or knife to school within a month of the survey. About 7% reported being threatened or attacked with a weapon in the previous year. Teachers were targeted in about 5% of violent school crime events, while school bus drivers were attacked the most often. Many communities have responded to school violence by training school staff in emergency procedures and hiring armed guards. Many schools have also instituted