Peeling back the onion: Strong collaborative models requiring time and persistence are the core of effective school security and emergency preparedness programs (insights from Dr. Stephen Bayne)
The best school security and emergency preparedness is often less visible or even invisible. Research and decades of school safety experience point to the importance of relationships and collaboration within school communities. Dr. Stephen Bayne, a veteran California school safety and emergency preparedness expert, graciously shares his insights based upon his years of experience in […]
The dangers of “I think” and “I believe” in school security and emergency preparedness planning
It is very common in our interviews of principals and their building safety/crisis/emergency teams (the names vary) to have answers to our questions begin with “I believe” or “I think.” “I believe there is someone always at the church office.” “I think we can get school buses to our school in about 20 minutes from […]
School administrators must revisit traditional school safety, security, and emergency crisis plans – not just COVID safety plans.
Students and teachers are back to in-person learning in most schools across the nation. Unfortunately, instances of school shootings, gun confiscations, stabbings, and other violence have also returned to our nation’s schools. In the past week alone, there have been at least four school shootings around the U.S., the most recent on Wednesday at a […]
Balancing school board meeting security and school administrator safety with parental engagement and First Amendment rights
A growing number of parents are frustrated and angry, in particular over school COVID-19 mask policies and hot topics such as discussions around “critical race theory” and school curriculum. Political dynamics from the federal level down to local school communities are exacerbating these tensions in some school communities. What used to be routine, mundane school […]
How to do school safety drills while not colliding with COVID-19 safeguards
Quick takeaways: Many educators have yet to tackle how they will conduct school safety drills which conflict with COVID-19 social distancing and related best practices State department of education have yet to provide any guidance to school leaders for active shooter, lockdown, fire, tornado, and other drills State-mandated drill requirements have yet to be temporarily […]
School safety considerations for mail handling, suspicious packages, and bomb threats
The good news in related to 12 bomb-like packages sent to current and former elected officials, along with CNN, is that one person is in federal custody as of the time of this writing. Thank you to our law enforcement professionals and other first responders across the nation for their hard work. This incident raises […]
Fake news, fake claims: Dispelling school active shooter myths
“Fake news” became a popular buzz phrase during the 2016 Presidential election. But fake news and fake claims also play a role in some national conversations and misrepresentations about school safety and school active shooters. Critical reading, analytical thinking and asking probing questions are necessary skills for serious learners of school safety best practices. Sandy Hook […]
Schools as terror targets: Paris and San Bernardino ISIS terrorist shooters’ interest in schools
Three chilling developments in recent weeks raise increased concerns about schools being in the crosshairs of ISIS-inspired terrorists. New public information since the Paris and San Bernardino terrorist attacks include: A second wave of attacks by the ISIS-affiliated terrorists in Paris were interrupted just before the attacks were about to occur. According to news reports, […]