Social Media Comment by Teacher Sparks Investigation

September 2, 2014 by

Social Media

A high school teacher at Newark Memorial High School in Newark, California is being investigated.  She allegedly posted profanity-laced tweets on the social media Twitter. The tweets hinted at violence against students, prompting the investigation.  The teacher stated she has received a written reprimand, but has kept her job.

A copy of a couple of the teacher’s tweets are included below.

Social Media

Two tweets sent allegedly concerning Newark Memorial High School students.

Social Media Analysis

Social media can be a blessing, and a curse.  Schools use social media to inform parents and communities on school events and incidents.  Teachers and students use social media to communicate with each other concerning academic work.  However, social media can also be a source of misinformation.  Its immediacy can also cause problems for people who are angry or frustrated.

Chapter 5 of Staying Alive: How to Act Fast and Survive Deadly Encounters covers the Warning Signs of Violence.  In that chapter, Drs. Richard and Stephen Holmes give us three stages that lead up to violence.  Using their criteria, this would most likely be a Level Two: Escalation.

A student who engaged in this behavior should trigger a multidisciplinary threat assessment.  This should be little different, except to make sure you are following all policies and regulations concerning employees.  A person at Level 2 has built up some anger and/or frustration.  The source of this needs to be identified so it can be addressed.

School districts should consider policies concerning the use of social media by staff.  This should be done keeping in mind First Amendment protections.  These policies can describe the nature of the use social media for school-related postings. Threats of violence are not necessarily protected speech.  If you are not sure, consult your district’s attorney and/or have law enforcement assess the communications.

Doing nothing is not a viable option.

Filed Under: Ask Safe Havens, Stephen Satterly Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Shelter-in-Place Protects School

August 24, 2014 by

Shelter-in-Place

In Jacksonville, Florida, the Glynn Academy had a noxious cloud, at times visible to the naked eye, descend upon the school.  A nearby mill, GP Cellulose, had a power outage, resulting in the escape of gases that would have normally been incinerated.  These gases were not lethal, but they smelled awful, and triggered an asthma attack in one student, who was treated and released.

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Shelter-in-place protects from CBR incidents.

Shelter-in-Place Analysis

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states, ” ‘Shelter-in-place’ means to take immediate shelter where you are—at home, work, school, or in between. It may also mean “seal the room;” in other words, take steps to prevent outside air from coming in. This is because local authorities may instruct you to “shelter-in-place” if chemical or radiological contaminants are released into the environment.”  In most cases, a shelter-in-place is in response to chemical, biological, or radiological (CBR) incidents.  Schools may also use shelter-in-place in response to severe weather, such as tornadoes.

A shelter-in-place for CBR requires a bit of planning and preparation.  Most newer schools have Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditi0ning (HVAC) units.  These units can be used to create positive pressure inside the school, helping to keep gases out, for as long as there is power to them.  They should also be set so that they do not draw air from the outside, as they often do to create fresh air.  Should the power fail, the school will need to be able to seal the school from the outside.  This may require the use of plastic sheeting, duct tape, or other materials to seal cracks in windows and doors.

This also requires more than materials.  Parents and other stakeholders need to know that when a school is in such a situation, they should not approach the skill.  There are few ways to allow people to enter a leave a sealed school without contaminating the school, endangering its occupants.  Therefore a good shelter-in-place protocol will include community awareness and education, as well as materials and training.

The Glynn Academy is fortunate that the chemicals were not lethal.  What about businesses near your school?  Have they factored into your risk assessment process?

Filed Under: Ask Safe Havens, Stephen Satterly Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Woman Charged with School Assault Sentenced

August 21, 2014 by

School Assault

A mother of a student at Grover Elementary School in Akron was sentenced for a school assault.  Last February, the mom reportedly got into an argument with a teacher and the principal.  She reportedly began cursing at them, pushed the teacher, then knocked the principal to the ground.  The principal allegedly hit her head in the fall. When a cafeteria worker attempted to intervene, the mother was alleged to have punched her.  The school was placed in a lockdown, and the police were called.

The mother has been sentenced to fourteen months in jail for fifth-degree felony assault, and misdemeanor assault.

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School Assault Analysis

A quick look on the Internet did not find definitive statistics on the number of teachers assaulted by parents.  There are statistics for school assaults against teachers by students.  The U.S. Department of Education reported that in the 2007-2008 school year, 127,120 (4 percent) public school teachers (K-12) were assaulted at school—hit, kicked, bitten, slapped, stabbed or shot.  In the same school year, 222,460 teachers (7 percent) were threatened by students.

Suffice to say, teachers are a target for those upset with the educational system.  What has been lost is the ability to discuss issues without resorting to physical or verbal violence.  Since teachers are authority figures, it is easier for them to become the focal point of frustration for both students and parents.

So what do schools do?

Like everything else related to school safety, school assault prevention requires planning and follow through.  What training have your teachers been given in de-escalation techniques?  What training have they been given to identify when a person is building up to an outburst?  Schools should identify appropriate places for people to meet with parents, places with safe areas to retreat to should an outburst occur.

Of course, the best technique is one that should be used with the children, building a relationship with the parents of trust and open communication.  Knowing the parent can help identify points of contention, and can provide a baseline of trust with which to address conflict.  It is not a cure all, but it can curtail the incidents of school assaults.

Schools should be safe for everyone.

Filed Under: Ask Safe Havens, Stephen Satterly Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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