As the start of a new school year approached, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige recently shared some key points that school personnel should bear in mind as they work to ensure safe, disciplined, and drug-free learning environments.

Preparedness

Secretary Paige praised the progress of many schools and communities across the nation who are involved in creating comprehensive, coordinated strategies for school emergency preparedness. "The No Child Left Behind Act reauthorized the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program to help ensure greater security and vigilance in our schools. That's Job No. 1." Each school and community must now ensure that their own schools have solid emergency plans in place and practiced before emergencies occur. Emergencies can include threats of targeted violence, natural disasters, or other major crises. Secretary Paige emphasized the importance of developing a comprehensive plan and getting to know the community members who will be a part of any emergency response. "The midst of a crisis is not the time to first start figuring out who ought to do what," he said. "At that moment, everyone involved—from top to bottom—should know the drill and know each other."

Forming Connections with Students

Secretary Paige called on all adults--parents, educators, and community members—to focus on really listening to youth and connecting with them on a personal level. "We need to listen and connect so kids will reach out to us or ask for help," he told the audience. He recalled that many youths who have perpetrated violent attacks in recent years had experienced isolation, bullying, and persecution by their peers, and that they had often seemed to indicate a desire that more adults had "paid attention." Secretary Paige provided examples of communities in which schools have taken the initiative to ensure that every child has a caring adult in their lives, with no exceptions. These efforts, often organized at inservice trainings, have strong impacts not just on children's sense of connectedness, but on their academic performance, involvement, and behaviors as well.

Creating a Culture of Respect

Secretary Paige noted that in many planned violent attacks and situations at schools, there were often other students who were aware of the potential threats but who did not feel comfortable in sharing this information with adults. He encouraged school personnel to break this dangerous code of silence by instilling a culture of respect in schools. "We must change the culture in our schools to a culture that says every individual has worth—everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect," he said. When students feel respected and know that they are an important part of their school, they will be more likely to feel comfortable in sharing this kind of information with adults.