School Security: Keeping Students Safe at School

A welcoming and inclusive school environment that promotes learning is one where students not only feel physically safe, but one where they feel emotionally safe. School leaders are challenged with implementing appropriate security measures that will keep students safe without making the school feel oppressive. However, in the aftermath of mass school shootings that have occurred in the United States over the last several decades, this is exactly the type of environment that has been created in many schools as administrators adopt “hardening” measures designed to toughen the physical features of a school making it immune from attack. Research shows that school environments like these are not conducive to student learning but instead can lead to a climate that fosters distrust between school personnel and students.

With the adoption of hardening measures such as metal detectors, surveillance cameras, automatic door locks, and the onsite presence of armed school resource officers, it is easy for students to feel as if they are being viewed by school leadership through a lens of potential wrongdoing and are being thought of as individuals requiring constant monitoring for activity that violates school rules. This can impede the development of positive, beneficial relationships between students and school personnel—relationships that are based on trust, respect, and open communication. Such relationships are essential in building a healthy school environment where students are supported in their emotional, social, and academic growth. Samantha Viano, associate professor in the Education Leadership and Education Policy Programs within the School of Education at George Mason University, shared her thoughts on the impact that security measures in K-12 schools can have on learning.

An overemphasis on school security can intensify student anxiety.

When a mass school shooting occurs, the devastating impact on the surrounding community is real and it is amplified by round-the-clock media coverage of the tragic event. The publicity surrounding school shootings can convey the false perception to the public that school shootings occur frequently. The reality is that these events are rare. Despite the low probability that a school shooting will take place, school administrators in districts around the country are taking a “better safe than sorry” and “more is better” approach in enhancing security at their schools to defend against the threat of violence. In many situations, the level of security that is implemented far exceeds the potential risk that an incident will occur at the school. Experts on school security policy believe that rather than installing an excessive amount of security equipment, administrators should choose measures commensurate with the actual likelihood that something bad will happen. Studies suggest that an overemphasis on school security measures can intensify student anxiety and create an atmosphere of fear that permeates the entire school community. This in turn can negatively affect student academic performance.

“School-to-Prison Pipeline”

Researchers are also looking at whether the placement of security equipment in schools can intensify the “school-to-prison pipeline.” This is a term used to describe a situation where underrepresented students, such as those from minoritized or economically disadvantaged backgrounds, are expelled from school and placed into the criminal justice system because of severe zero tolerance disciplinary policies invoked for what are sometimes even minor infractions. The school-to-prison pipeline is frequently seen in schools that lack the educational resources necessary to support at-risk students. A study is now underway to determine whether the installation of hardening security measures at schools, including surveillance cameras and automatic door locks, may lead to an increase in exclusionary discipline practices, such as suspension and expulsion, or the entanglement of students in the criminal justice system.

Building positive relationships between school staff and students is an effective strategy for preventing violence in schools.

A report, Creating Safer Schools, published by the Education Trust states that most strategies intended to protect schools against the risk of a violent act, focus almost exclusively on stopping an attack that has already begun or preventing an attack that will occur. The report states, however, “these efforts intervene too late in the pathway, when a situation has already escalated too far.” Many education experts agree that a more effective strategy for preventing violence in schools is to build strong, positive relationships between students and school personnel. A positive relationship can help identify a student who may be experiencing stress, depression, anger, or some other mental health issue that could manifest itself through an act of violence or some other disruptive behavior if it is not addressed early. The development of strong, positive relationships between students and school staff can provide an early intervention opportunity which could prevent a worst-case scenario from happening.

In retrofitting schools with security measures, school administrators need to preserve an environment that is conducive to learning.

Positive relationships such as those described here are essential in maintaining a safe school environment. Yet, some level of physical security is necessary to ensure student safety and well-being. In evaluating the security measures needed for their schools, administrators should consider the fact that vendors of school security technologies are trying to sell a product. Like any other business, these companies are profit oriented. School security technology is expensive and can intrude on a student’s privacy. Moreover, some school security technology may be ineffective in preventing a violent act from being perpetrated at a school. School leaders therefore need to make careful decisions when considering school security enhancements to ensure they can balance the need to keep students safe while preserving a school environment that supports learning.

To learn more about the Education Leadership and Education Policy Programs within the School of Education at George Mason University, please visit the program websites.