As reported in the last issue of The Challenge, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige has announced the formation of a new Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools within the U.S. Department of Education (ED). All activities related to safe schools, crisis response, alcohol and drug prevention, health and well-being of students, and building strong character and citizenship are now located in the new office. It is also taking the leadership role in the Department’s Homeland Security efforts.

The new office is headed by Deputy Under Secretary Eric G. Andell, former Texas appeals court justice. Judge Andell joined the Department last year as Secretary Paige’s senior advisor, providing guidance on juvenile justice, school safety, drug abuse reduction, and other related issues.

“We are fortunate to have someone of Judge Andell’s skills directing this crucial effort to help preserve the safety of America’s schools and promote healthy lifestyles among its students,”Secretary Paige said.

Recently, The Challenge had the opportunity to speak with Judge Andell about the reorganization and the role the new office will play in ED.

The Challenge: How will the formation of the new office affect schools on the local level?

Judge Andell: School administrators and educators may not immediately perceive any specific change on the local level, but the reorganization is important to their efforts. As an office, we are in a position to drive the public debate on issues related to school safety and drug prevention. The key to our success is how coherently we can present the Secretary’s message. By consolidating all
of the Department’s various health, citizenship, and safety programs into one office, we can ultimately achieve greater impact. We are in a stronger position to advocate for the importance of these efforts and to build relationships both with our Federal partners and with the Hill to ensure that these programs continue to exist and even grow and develop in the future.

The Challenge: Since the new office now incorporates activities related to civic education and character education, should schools think in terms of putting greater emphasis on these areas as part of their overall violence and drug prevention strategies?

Judge Andell: Any successful prevention program has to be curriculum-driven and part of the overall academic goals of the school. Enhanced character education efforts should go a long way toward supporting the hypothesis that by teaching students to be better citizens, we might have a positive effect on reducing their involvement with drugs and alcohol. At the moment, there’s no hard science behind this theory, but anecdotally, educators are finding that character education and citizenship efforts strengthen children. Our job now is to put solid evidence behind this idea.
Of course, the Department of Education has no monopoly on good ideas. We look forward to working with our Federal partners at the U.S. Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to develop new research and to look at models of what’s working in schools across the country.

The Challenge: What is the ultimate goal of the office?

Judge Andell: We’re looking to engage the country in a national conversation about what works to strengthen young people. How can we best keep them safe and healthy? How can we shore them up to learn and grow into better citizens? As an office, we’re in a stronger position to help the Secretary bring these questions to the public. Who will speak for these issues if ED doesn’t? Our job is to help build strong, healthy young people who are equipped to learn.