National School Boards Association
Experts Offer Tips to Students, Parents on Maintaining Safe Climate

Alexandria, Va. - The recent uptick in violence involving young people in several cities, including Boston, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C., has raised concerns about the kind of classroom environment that urban school students face as schools open.

According to a survey on urban school climate by the National School Boards Association's Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE), a majority of students say they feel safe in their school, an indicator that experts say improves academic achievement.

But, the survey also shows that almost one of four students say they are unsure of their safety at school, and older students are even less likely to feel safe at school. In addition, more than half of all students surveyed say they see children being bullied at least once per month.

Where We Learn surveyed nearly 32,000 students from 15 urban school districts in 13 states. Students indicated their climate perceptions in the areas of school safety and bullying , among others. The survey was completed during the 2004-05 school year.

"The findings are generally positive, but there are certain results that raise concerns for students, teachers and parents," said Brian Perkins, the study's principal investigator. Perkins is chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Southern Connecticut State University and president of the New Haven, Conn., Board of Education. He is also the chair of CUBE.

In the area of school safety , almost 63 percent of urban students report feeling safe at school. However, nearly 20 percent of students believe that other students carry weapons in school. Students in grades 9-12 expressed even more concern over weapons, with more than 40 percent not sure if others came to school armed.

"When students do not feel safe at school, they are more likely to become truant, distracted from school work, and experience lower levels of achievement," Perkins noted.

In terms of fighting, about half of respondents in grades 4-6 and 9-12 say there is a lot of fighting in their school. That number increases for students in grades 7-8, where 60 percent say that there is a lot of fighting at their school.

Bullying is a top concern as well, according to Perkins, due to its effect on student performance. He noted that both male and female students feel much the same about bullying and that there is no difference in observance of this behavior by girls and boys.

However, younger students report more bullying. More than twice as many students in grades 4-6 as students in grades 9-12 say they are bullied regularly, according to the survey.

More than 50 percent of all survey respondents say they see children being bullied at least once per month. And, almost 40 percents of students say they do not believe that teachers can stop the bullying. As the students get older there is even less confidence that the school can prevent bullying. Almost half of high school students say they do not believe that teachers can stop bullying.

"Climate is especially important in urban schools, which enroll almost 25 percent of public school students," said Anne L. Bryant, NSBA executive director.   " A safe school environment is critical in making sure our students succeed academically."

Education experts agree on these five tips for students if they are bullied or see bullying:

  • Find a trusted adult at school with whom you can talk about what you see.
  • Be assertive rather than aggressive or violent when confronted by a bully.
  • Never get physical or bully back.
  • Stand up for friends or peers who are being bullied.
  • If there is no formal policy against bullying at your school, get involved to start one.

Top tips for parents include:

  • Practice role playing with your child so he or she can be prepared to react appropriately to bullies or unsafe situations.
  • Keep an open dialogue with your child by asking specific questions about what happens during their day and take concerns seriously.
  • Keep written records if you suspect your child is being bullied.
  • Empower your children to tell adults if they see bullying.
  • Reinforce the child's positive behaviors and model appropriate behavior yourself.

The full report, Where We Learn , can be found at www.nsba.org/cube/WhereWeLearn . 

Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association is a not-for profit federation of state associations of school boards across the United States. Its mission is to foster excellence and equity in public elementary and secondary education in the United States through local school board leadership. NSBA represents the school board perspective before federal government agencies and with national organizations that affect education, and by providing vital information and services to state associations of school boards throughout the nation.