By Melvin Adams
As parents, one of the biggest concerns we have for our children is their safety.
We put locks on the doors of our homes and sometimes fences around our yards to keep dangerous predators out. We put guards on our TVs and computers to protect our children from stuff they should not see and hear (or we certainly should). We teach our children from the time they are babies to be careful of talking to strangers or taking candy or other tempting treats from people they don’t know. Why? We care about their safety.
In a conversation I had with a parent this week he told me how his teenage daughter had come to him begging not to have to return to a particular school. Surprised, he asked her why — since the school is known for its advanced learning programs and he had been happy to have her there. Her answer was simple: “I’m scared.” Her shocking stories and call for help stirred him to action. He removed her from the school and found a place where she would be safe.
Physical violence and the open practice of abusive and permissive behaviors allowed in many government schools have created an environment of dread and fear. One of the most significant reasons we hear from teachers and students who are “fleeing” to Christian schools is their need for safety.
This prompted me to do a little research. Looking for a tool that might be somewhat objective, I inquired how frequently incidents occurred in Roanoke schools where law enforcement was required because of incidents involving violence or criminal behavior. The numbers I found were for the 2007-2008 school year. (2008-2009 reports were not yet available from the public schools) I believe the results tell their own story.
Public Schools (28) Offenses
Battery against student- 325
Battery against staff- 109
Weapons or explosive devises- 84
Drug Violations- 33
Sexual Offenses- 8
Alcohol- 6
Arson- 3
Gang Activity- 2
Malicious wounding- 1
Sexual Battery- 1
Other offenses which do not necessarily constitute criminal behavior but were serious enough to be officially recorded:
Obscene language/gestures- 755
Classroom/campus disruption- 720
Defiance- 527
Attendance- 473
Disrespect- 317
Fighting without Injury- 268
Altercations- 242
Disruptive Demonstrations- 188
Bullying- 109
Harassment- 59
Obscene sexual literature- 31
Offensive sexual touching- 30
Sexual Harassment- 19
Tobacco- 12
Christian Schools (6) Offenses
Battery against student- none
Battery against staff- none
Weapons or explosive devises- none
Drug Violations- none
Sexual Offenses- none
Alcohol- none
Arson- none
Gang Activity- none
Malicious wounding- none
Sexual Battery- none
Other offenses which do not necessarily constitute criminal behavior but were serious enough to be officially recorded:
Obscene language/gestures- none reported
Classroom/campus disruption- none reported
Defiance- none reported
Attendance- none reported
Disrespect- none reported
Fighting without Injury- none reported
Altercations- none reported
Disruptive Demonstrations- none reported
Bullying- none reported
Harassment- none reported
Obscene sexual literature- none reported
Offensive sexual touching- none reported
Sexual Harassment- none reported
Tobacco- none reported
While this comparison is not scientific and I’m confident does not reflect with 100 percent accuracy all that goes on in either public or private Christian schools since much activity surely goes on unreported, it does reflect the huge disparity in behavioral trends between public and Christian schools and gives a basic view of child safety in our schools.
That reality is compounded by news reports which have stated: “The Roanoke school system has been criticized for drastically under-reporting school crime incidents to the state Department of Education, a failure that is technically a violation of state law. It is currently working to correct data and educate its personnel on accurate reporting procedures.”
How about your child? What actions are you taking to ensure they are safe at school?
Data gathered from:
page VI and personal inquiry at schools.
http://rtonline1.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story153589.html
Volume 1 Issue 2 - The Renewanation Review