Rather than let the media or sensationalist and prominent stories drive the pursuit of improving the climate safety of schools, it is more important to listen to the people within these environments. The perceptions and observations of students and staff alike are the best indicators of school safety.
- For at least 9.5 million (60%) high school students and almost five million (30%) middle school students, “back to school” means returning to places where illegal drugs are used, kept and sold. (Malignant Neglect: Substance Abuse and America’s Schools, National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 2001)
- More than fifty percent of 15 - to 17-year olds and almost a quarter of 12 - to 14-year olds know someone at their schools who sells drugs. (Malignant Neglect: Substance Abuse and America’s Schools, National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 2001)
- Thirty-nine percent of middle schoolers and thirty-six of high schoolers say they don’t feel safe at schools. (2000 Report Card: Report #1, The Ethics of American Youth: Violence and Substance Abuse: Data & Commentary, Josephson Institute of Ethics, 2001)
- Thirty-eight percent of 8 - to 11-year-old students said threats of violence occur at their school. (Talking With Kids About Tough Issues: A National Survey of Parents and Kids, Kaiser Family Foundation and Nickelodeon, 2001)
- Overall five percent of principals reported that gangs are a problem in their schools, and thirty-six percent reported a gang problem in the community. (Gang Problems and Gang Programs in a National Sample of Schools, Gottfredson Associates, Inc., 2001)
