A school violence prevention expert and author of the book How to Talk to Your Kids About School Violence, Dr. Druck says, "Recent incidents clearly show that the threat of violence is thwarted by reporting."

Dr. Druck points to the most recent series of cases to demonstrate how valuable and effective student reporting can be:

October 6, 2004 A 16-year-old junior at Marshfield High School in Marshfield, MA, has been charged with plotting to kill 8 students and teachers at his school. Police said the boy planned the shooting to coincide with the Columbine anniversary, and had a list of intended victims and an escape strategy. Fellow students went to authorities after the boy asked several people, "Wouldn't it be cool to blow up the high school?"

October 1, 2004 In Cedar Park, TX, 2 Vista Ridge High School students, ages 15 and 16, were arrested for allegedly planning a school massacre during a pep rally. A peer reported the incident to school officials after the boys approached the student and asked him if he wanted to get involved and add to the list of students they planned to target.

September 17, 2004 17-year-old Andrew Osantowski of Chippewa Valley High School in Clinton Township, MI, was charged with threatening terrorism against his high school, concealing stolen firearms, breaking and entering a gun shop, and threatening to kill a witness. His Columbine-style plot was thwarted when the daughter of a university police corporal revealed her online chat-room correspondence with Osantowski to her father.

While these horrifying incidents show that kids are still turning to violence, they clearly confirm that student reporting is the most effective way to prevent violence.

Dr. Ken Druck has created a three-prong action plan, which identifies what parents, educators and students should do.

"Enlist the students! Create open routes for students to report trouble." Here are the most important actions he recommends people take:

Parents should:

Insist on student reporting, and support it when it happens. Be aware of violent warning signs in their child and others. Ask questions when necessary. Deal with problems openly when they arise.

Know the procedure for reporting problems to school officials and keep reporting hotlines handy. Parents should also be sure their children know the procedures for reporting any kind of trouble.

Help their children constructively stand up against bullying or violence. Seek help from school personnel or trained professionals as needed.

Get involved in their child's life, school programs and neighborhood activities. Help create and maintain programs to combat the problems children face in today's world. Make sure existing programs and activities are adequate and run smoothly. If there are problems, share your observations and suggestions with the school and/or program administrator.

Foster an atmosphere of open communication. Make children feel comfortable discussing any problems with you and confident they will receive help without being judged.

Schools should:

Establish uniform and open procedures for reporting any kind of trouble. Students should have multiple options for reporting, such as directly to teachers, guidance counselors or peer mentors. One of the best methods to encourage students is to set up a specially created hotline or website where students can anonymously tip administrators without fear of being identified.

Train teachers and staff in warning signs, reporting procedures, and responding to reports. Familiarize educators with the reasons children avoid reporting trouble (sample list below), so they can reassure kids.

Train students in the warning signs of violence, reporting procedures, and the importance of reporting. Emphasize the importance of reporting and the dangers of not reporting.

Draft guidelines to help students understand which situations should be reported (sample list below). Help students understand that "telling" keeps people safe and is different from "tattling."

Designate a "go-to" person for each student to report trouble to.

Support students when they do report. Assure them that reporting will be kept confidential, unless a conflict resolution involving both parties is requested.

Address these issues at the beginning of each school year and throughout the year. Examine the roots of problems and address their larger causes through programs (e.g., character education and conflict resolution) that will help children combat them.

Get the word out once an incident has occurred and been validated upon proper investigation. Parents, teachers, and students need to know that the system works and is protecting them. Help should be extended to victims and victimizers to resolve problems and break patterns of violence.

"Students need to 'Speak Up!'"

Students need to join together and voluntarily commit to recognizing and reporting any of the following:

Bullies & Gangs

Threats

Weapons

Suicidal Threats or Behavior

"Cutting" or other self-harm

Depression symptoms

Vandalism/Theft

Sexual Harassment or Sexual Assault

Sexual Orientation-related bullying

Date Rape

Child/Domestic/Relationship Abuse

Eating Disorders

Runaways

Drugs/Alcohol concerns

Dr. Druck says, "It's crucial for parents and teachers to reassure children and destroy previously held beliefs about reporting":

Fear of retaliation

Fear that others will find out

Don't know how or who to report to

Unsure of adult response

Think nothing will be done to help

Don't want to get someone in trouble or "tattle"

Consider incidents "no big deal"

Don't understand the importance of reporting

Dr. Druck says, "It may be very difficult to implement because of the kids' fear of repercussions, but we've got to help them do this. Reporting is so effective that we need to make it one of our top priorities in schools everywhere across the country."

© 2005 HealthNewsDigest.com