A safe school is one where the dangers in today's schools are openly acknowledged, according to Michael Dorn, School Safety Analyst and CEO of Safe Havens International. There needs to be participation of students, school officials, parents, and agencies such as police, fire, emergency management, juvenile courts, and probation officers. 

The first thing parents should ask is whether a school has a safety plan for preparedness, response and recovery in the event of a crisis. It's also important for the safety plan to be assessed every year. A parent cannot assume a school is safe because it is in a good neighborhood surrounded by million-dollar homes. There are many questions parents should ask. How often are drills conducted?  Is safety training provided for teachers and staff on a regular basis? What specifically is being done to assess and eliminate safety risks? Are background checks performed on all staff?

If your child's school does not have a safety program, parents need to express their concern to the principal, headmaster, or school board. Schools respond well to parental concerns, and the reason many schools do not have a safety plan is parents do not require one. Every well run school should have a safety committee with parental representation. If you're concerned about your child's safety at school, express your interest and ask to volunteer on a safety committee.

There are visible indicators of whether your child's school is safe. Are there frequent fights among students? Is bullying, whether physical or verbal, a known problem at the school? Are there policies governing student conduct, such as a dress code? Is there access control requiring everyone who enters the school to show an ID? Are side or back doors left open during the day? Poor access control can be fatal when anyone is free to come and go and can potentially abduct a child.

Before allowing your child to walk to school, you need to asses the risks of the neighborhood. Is it a high-crime area?  Are gangs known to be in the area? If you are in a low-crime neighborhood, you still need to be aware of sexual predators who prey in areas that are considered safe because there is less vigilance in these places. Also look at traffic patterns in the area, and whether there are crossing guards during school hours. Know which route your child will take and make sure they pick the safest route. If you're going to permit your child to walk to school, make sure they never walk alone. The buddy-system, the more the merrier, is the best protection for your child. Finally, determine the maturity level of your child before you give them permission to walk to school. Make sure your child grasps the meaning of an unsafe situation.

The most important thing a parent can do to protect their child in the school environment is to be involved and ask questions. Keeping lines of communication open between parents, students and teachers is the primary ingredient for your child's safety. 

Resources:

"Let None Learn in Fear,'' Safe Havens International,  P.O. Box 27390, Macon, GA 31221. 1-478-994-1417
www.safehavensinternational.org