Teachers say school districts have left them in the lurch in the wake of attacks by students. Some admit they resort to violence themselves to send a message to students who might want to test them.
Rape and other forms of violence in and around schools reflect a broader problem in the country.
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At the heart of the issue for school children, parents, caregivers and teachers is to confront from a very young age the question of sex, sexuality and gender.
Black parents are having to call off work to deal with their children’s minor infractions at school.
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Decisions on whether to allow corporal punishment in school have been largely local.
Despite the country’s political response to violence against women and girls, school-going girls struggle with male violence in and out of school.
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Pupils who are victimised at school tend to perform poorly academically, are regularly absent from school, suffer psychological trauma and may eventually drop out of school.
Research shows small acts of kindness can make a big difference in classrooms.
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‘Behavior vaccines’ – practices meant to improve safety and well-being – have been around for years. An educational psychologist says they are particularly important for schools to adopt now.
Roughly half of public schools have a police presence.
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Making classrooms, cafeterias and other spaces less crowded will be essential. There are two main ways to do that.
Orlando police officer Dennis Turner leads a 6-year-old girl away in handcuffs after her arrest for kicking and punching staff at her school.
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Newly-released body camera footage shows an Orlando police officer taking a 6-year-old girl away in handcuffs. A school safety expert explains the potential pitfalls of police in primary schools.
Students at school on Rusinga Island, Kenya.
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Teachers unions and gun-control advocates who decry the use of fake blood and simulated shootings have cause for concern. But getting students ready does take training and practice.
Teachers can suffer abuse on the job.
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When school resource officers run afoul of the law, more often than not the reason is sexual misconduct with students, research shows.
Drills can help people learn how to respond when an active shooter situation arises, as recently occurred in Santa Clarita, Calif.
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About one-third of America’s primary schools have a school police officer on hand. Do these officers make schools safer, or are they turning primary schools into mini police precincts?