The U.S. Secret Service has teamed with the U.S. Department of Education to release a guide on

The U.S. Secret Service has teamed with the U.S. Department of Education to release a guide on preventing school shootings. Here are the guide’s suggestions for creating a safer school.

Zero in on a school’s emotional climate. Parents and administrators shouldn’t assume they know what it is. Anonymous surveys, face-to-face interviews and focus groups can help. Share data and make changes with pupils, parents and community input.

Emphasize listening. Pupils must listen respectfully to adults, but adults often forget it’s a two-way street. A school with a culture of “two-way” listening will encourage and empower pupils to break the “code of silence.”

Break that code. Pupils often don’t feel comfortable telling adults when they know someone might pose a threat. Work to change the perception that talking to an adult about a classmate contemplating violence is “snitching.” If a pupil thinks he can tell an adult who cares and is willing to help, he won’t be afraid to talk.

Prevent or intervene in bullying. Austintown Superintendent Doug Heuer said the state is requiring school districts to have an antibullying policy in place by the end of September. “Bullying is as serious an offense as fighting now,” he said.

Involve all members of the school community in creating and maintaining a culture of safety and respect. Help pupils engage in positive, productive activities or work in their community.

Create mechanisms for developing safe schools. What should be done to develop and support climates of safety? To what extent is staff encouraged to focus on pupils’ social and emotional needs? How close is the school to ensuring that there is an adult for every pupil who needs one for support?

Studies say the majority of school shooters are white, suburban males, but there is no set profile, the guide cautions. Pupils who pose a threat are alienated and feel as if no one cares about their problems. Schools who pay attention to pupils’ emotional needs as well as their academic ones will have fewer situations that require formal threat assessments, the guide asserts.

Source: “Threat Assessment in Schools,” U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education