Is School Safety a Matter of Perception?
Michele Gay and Alissa Parker are the mothers of two of the Sandy Hook school shooting victims Josephine Grace Gay and Emilie Parker. They used their personal tragedy to form a national nonprofit safety advocacy and resource center committed to protecting every school and every student every day.
A recent report authored by Gay and Parker, 2022 State of School Safety Report, revealed 87 percent of educators feel that school is still a safe place to be, however, only 68 percent of students reported feeling safe at school.
Similarly, only 68 percent of students agree that safety is a top priority compared to 84 percent of parents, the group with the highest level of confidence.
And, 79 percent of educators feel that their school is prepared to deal with bullying/cyberbullying, but student data tells a different story — only 60 percent of students believe schools are prepared.
The glaring disparities prove the immense lack of communication, knowledge and insight that still exists.
The fact that no one talks about it, may well be one of the main reasons why the shootings continue today.
At Teachout Security, we recommend that our school administrators gather input on the issue of school safety from educators, parents, and students and then hold a forum where the concerns and suggestions of each group are presented. We believe this would be a great first step to getting everyone on the same page where school safety is concerned.
If you are considering performing a security analysis for your operation, call us. We have seven experienced, credentialed security professionals on staff. We will identify your strengths and weaknesses and help you determine the appropriate combination of security services available. Call us at (800) 747-0755 or info@teachoutsecurity.com to discover the best way to protect you, your staff, and your assets.
