The 1999 Columbine High School attack has been referred to by many as an act of terrorism. Domestic terrorism, obviously, but still terrorism. Did the act fit the definition of terrorism? If not the formal definition, it certainly fits the concept. In my first book (Practical School Security), written back in 1998, I identified terrorism as one […]
Blog Archives
Sometimes We All Neglect Our “Children”
A participant in one of my workshops once referred to me as a “school safety evangelist.” It’s a pretty intriguing title and very complimentary as this person recognized my passion for keeping schools safe. But the “school safety evangelist” title can be a hard one to live up to when you’re also self-employed, middle-aged with your […]
What Does a Fireman Know About Being A School Board Member?
If the fireman is Reno Contipelli, he knows a lot about school boards. And he never stops learning about school safety and taking those lessons back to his school-community. Reno is a professional firefighter and dedicated 17-year school board member for Cuyahoga Heights Schools in Northeast Ohio. He also heads up the board’s school safety committee. Reno […]
School Board Members Speak Out on School Safety – Part 3
School board members Maria Starks from Dyersville, Tennessee, knows what is going on with school safety in her district. She particularly knows and appreciates the role of her School Resource Officer. She also shares information on cell phones in schools and her personal advice for board members. Listen to Maria Starks’ insights on school safety […]
School Board Members Speak Out on School Safety – Part 2
David Fowler, School Board Member for the L’Anse Creuse Public Schools in Harrison Township, Michigan, does not just hear about school safety measures in his district. He and his fellow board members actually participate in the training, drills, and related activities. I spoke with David, who attended one of my training sessions at the National […]
School Board Members Speak Out on School Safety – Part 1
The National School Boards Association annual convention is always one of the highlights of my year. Listening to, and talking with, our nation’s school board members inspires me as I hear about their commitment to school safety. My interviews with two board members, James Chavez and Kerry Young, found board leaders geographically from opposite sides of the country, […]
School Safety Interview: Board Member Marianne Jasen, NSBA Chicago Convention
As a presenter at the annual National School Boards Association (NSBA) conventions, I have the great fortune of meeting many of our nation’s school board members, superintendents, and education support organizations. This year, at NSBA’s Chicago convention, we spoke a lot about the importance of keeping school safety on the front burner during tough financial times. A […]
Tying Educators’ Hands In School Safety Efforts
Chuck Hibbert is a national school safety consultant (including for my company) and 21-year-veteran school district administrator over school security and school police services for a 15,000 student district in Indiana. Chuck takes issue with ““Taking Safety Too Far: The Ill-Defined Role Police Play in Schools,” February 24th commentary article in Education Week by authors and civil rights advocates Johanna Wald […]
$10,000 Goes a Long Way – Except in DC
Only inside the D.C. Beltway do some folks believe that $10,000 doesn’t do much for anything. The U.S. Department of Education, the Administration, and some in Congress over the past few years have justified cutting and eliminating the state grant component of the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program by saying that too many school districts receiving funds […]
Bullying: Parent or School Responsibility?
Who is ultimately responsible for school bullying – parents, schools, the victims? CNN’s Rick Sanchez and I had a lengthy on-air discussion yesterday afternoon on bullying, the roles of teachers and parents, who is responsible when a bullied teen commits suicide, and what parents can do to support their children who may be bullied or […]