From the Mouths of Babes

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The beginning of a new school year has brought with it the reminder that just a few short months ago--down the road from me in Santa Fe, TX--the lives of a community, and the students in it, were indelibly changed.  As I watched news stories and read tweets like this:

“When Santa Fe I.S.D. students returned to school this morning, they went back to:

·       Concrete walls

·       Bullet resistant glass

·       Metal detectors

·       More police

·       More counseling resources

·       Teachers with increased active shooter training”

my heart wept.   As I read tweets of youth outcry for answers on how to deter school shootings, the desperation was palpable.  My heart continues to weep—not only for the community of Santa Fe, but for Parkland and every other community that has been directly or indirectly affected by school / campus violence.

There is a certain logic in enhancing security measures.  These measures deter some activities, while also potentially minimizing injury and loss of life during an event.  However, if you remove “more counseling resources” from the Santa Fe equation, I see these measures as great features of a campus safety initiative, but a very poor foundation.  They create an illusion of safety without addressing the underlying cause of any potential threat.

Mental health programs?  Hmm, from the mouths of babes.  I must admit that while I am inclined to agree, this too, is only one piece of the puzzle.  However, given the fact that “hurt people, hurt people”, mental health programs and counseling resources--designed to better support student needs--more closely resemble the kind of foundation upon which an effective student safety initiative can be built.  What if you augmented those programs with personal development and violence prevention education?  When you build self esteem, self awareness, communication and conflict resolution skills, you equip your people, (students and staff), with the tools to constructively solve problems and resolve conflict.  You build empowered individuals.  

Equipped with the tools to better recognize potential threats—internally and externally--empowered individuals are more likely to: seek the help they need; reach out to someone in need; or report a potential threat before it escalates.  Check out  A-Z Guide to Student Safety.  Packed with the tools and strategies to empower you and your group, it is a powerful addition to any new or existing student safety initiative.  Click here to get yours for 50% off for a limited time

I do appreciate and see value in security measures.  However, if “hurt people, hurt people”, wouldn’t it be at least equally prudent to invest some resources in helping the hurting rather than simply: (a) making it more difficult for them to hurt others on campus; or (b) compelling them to find more insidious means of attack?  Individually, none of these solutions is a panacea.  But together, with mental health support and practical skills as the foundation, "a safer and more positive environment" has a better chance of becoming a reality.  What do you think?  Please share your thoughts below.

Blessings!

Dawn

Your Toolbox Diva® (and fellow Champion Under Construction®)

Building Tomorrow's Champions Today®