Guide to Protecting Your Child from Violent Kids: Part IV

8 Questions To Help You Evaluate a Safe School

When evaluating a school's "safety net" you should be met with postive support for your concern. The answers for these questions should already be written policy. If not, your inquiry in writing should compel the administration to consider the issues. The following questions are from "Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe," by Gavin de Becker, America's leading expert on predicting violent behavior.

1. Are there policies addressing violence, weapons, drug use, sexual abuse, child-on-child sexual abuse, unauthorized visitors?

2. Are background investigations performed on all staff?

3. Does the screening process apply to all employees (teachers, janitors, lunchroom staff, security personnel, part-time employees, volunteers, bus drivers, etc.?)

4. Can my child call me at any time?

5. How does the school address special situations (custody disputes, child kidnapping concerns, etc.)?

6. Are acts of violence or criminality at the school documented? Are statistics maintained?

7. Are teachers formally notified when a child with a history of serious misconduct is enrolled at the school?

8. Will I be informed of teacher misconduct that might have an impact on the safety or well-being of my child?


Read our review of the book, Raising Safe Kids in an Unsafe World.


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