Breaking the Code of Silence

By Yvette J. Brown
CWK Producer

"If somebody had a bomb, I’d run down the hall saying, ‘BOMB!’ I’m not trying to get blown up."
-Jay, 16-

Crime scene tape, police officers, ambulances and worldwide news coverage – unfortunately, these are the images that have become a part of the landscape that shapes the high school experience.

“Kids are getting a lot more drastic these days … using guns instead of talking it out and just being rationale about things,” says Quinton, 17.

The prevalence of violent threats in schools has left many students scared, and now they are more willing to break the code of silence in order to protect themselves and their classmates.

In a survey commissioned by the National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere, 81% of those surveyed said they would tell on a classmate if they believed a threat of school violence existed.

“If somebody had a bomb, I’d run down the hall saying, ‘BOMB!’ I’m not trying to get blown up,” says Jay, 16.

“I think Columbine changed everything,” says Dr. Stan Hibbs, a psychologist.

Still, some students admit they’re afraid to tell someone about threats of violence.

Sixteen-year-old Jackie explains, “Because if someone finds out you snitched on them, that’s just gonna cause more trouble for you.”

“I’d probably just stay away … get out if I knew something was going down,” says Colin, 17.

“There still is the fear, ‘I don’t want to be a tattletale. There could be repercussions. I could make people mad at me,’” Dr. Hibbs says.

Experts say that parents and educators can encourage students to report their concerns about school threats and violence by keeping an open line of communication and initiating conversation, even when it’s uncomfortable.

“So often we are hesitant,” Dr. Hibbs says. “We don’t want to upset our kids. I think it’s important to say, ‘We are worried about safety at school. Talk to us about what’s going on, and if you have any idea that something is going on, please tell us.’”

Eventually, even scared teens learn to push through their fear.

“They’ve seen some of the tragic events that have happened, and they wanna stop that from happening again,” says Camden, 17.

Students ‘More Willing’ to Tell

By Tom Atwood
CWK Network, Inc.

A new survey shows that more teens are willing to report students to authorities if they believe a threat to school safety exists. The survey, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation International and commissioned by the National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), surveyed 501 teens. The study’s findings reveal the following statistics:

Approximately 81% of those surveyed said they are more willing now than in the past to report threats of student violence.
About 26% said they would tell a parent if they learned of a school violence threat that they thought was real.
An estimated 43% said they would report the threat to a teacher.
Approximately 42% said they would turn to a principal.

Experts say that students are more willing to alert school officials now because of the pervasive fear of violence on school campuses. The survey also found that since the 1999 school shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado, students have observed improved efforts to curb violence at schools:

Nearly 50% of teens surveyed said they attended more school assemblies on violence, anti-bullying and similar themes.
About 49% noticed the addition of on-campus police or security officers.
Approximately 49% said conflict resolution is taught in classes.
About 47% noted more physical security at school.

“Schools are still safe places, but we have to do more to provide that continued level of safety,” says Pam Riley, SAVE’s executive director. “We don’t want to turn schools into prisons, but we do want to provide that level of comfort.”

Warning Signs of Violence

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), one in 12 high schoolers is threatened or injured with a weapon each year. To reduce that risk, the APA lists several “warning signs” which indicate the “serious possibility” that a student will become violent:

Losing one’s temper on a daily basis
Engaging in frequent physical fighting
Perpetrating significant vandalism or property damage
Increasing one’s use of drugs or alcohol
Increasing one’s risk-taking behavior
Making detailed plans to commit acts of violence
Announcing threats or plans for hurting others
Enjoying hurting animals
Carrying a weapon

The APA says that students can make a difference if they recognize any of these warning signs in a classmate. Hoping that someone else will deal with the problem is “the easy way out,” experts say. The APA offers students the following advice:

Above all, be safe. Don’t spend time alone with people who exhibit the warning signs.
Tell someone you trust and respect about your concerns, and ask for help from a family member, guidance counselor, teacher, school psychologist, coach, clergy or friend.
If you are worried about becoming a victim of violence, ask someone to protect you. Do not resort to violence or the use of a weapon to protect yourself.

The key to preventing violent behavior, according to the APA, is asking an experienced professional for help. The important thing to remember is not to go it alone.

Resources

American Psychological Association
National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere