The Year 2006 has started with violence growing and spreading from students to adults, both parents and teachers. The following list of violent incidents were extracted from news reports.

within a two week time frame

January 5, 2006: Four students and five adults were arrested after a major fight at a high school in Wichita. The incident apparently started with students but spread to parents and reached a total of 15 people engaged in the fight before security restored order.

1/9/06: Two JFK High in Patterson, NJ students were stabbed in an after school fight and fled back into the school. Both were transported to hospitals.

1/10/06: Students in Coral Springs, FL reported that a student brought a knife to school because there was a rumor about a fight. Shortly after school the rumor came true and the teen with the knife stabbed another teen. One student is in the hospital and the other in jail.

1/10/06: Two Sunrise, FL 7th grade students are in jail after a fight that involved a razor blade that left one of the students with 14 stitches. Students reported bullying was involved and that both boys had been fighting off and on for about a week before the bloody incident.

1/11/06: In separate incidents at different schools in St Louis, a 12 year old attacked a teacher who was left with a concussion and an 18  year old student attacked a teacher who has been left with stitches in his face. Both students face criminal charges.

1/11/06: Five students in LaGrange, NY were arrested for fighting. One of the students' father was also arrested for attacking a deputy and an SRO who trying to detain his daughter.

1/12/06: Three Chicago high school students were taken to the hospital for treatment of wounds suffered when another student fired a pellet gun into a crowd of students.

1/12/06: In the UK about 40 students participated in a massive fight with make shift weapons including sticks and bricks. The fight was eventually broken up by teachers and the Headmaster. Three boys were taken to hospital. Ages of the fighters ranged from 12 to 15 years.

1/12/06: A fight broke out at a St Paul high school basket ball game. It was broken up by staff but the fight continued outside and left a 17 year old student shot and in the hospital in critical condition.

1/12/06: A 14 year old student at Sylvan Hills Middle (Arkansas) assaulted a teacher, slamming her into the wall, desk and file cabinets. The student, whose record indicated violent outbursts, is in jail.

1/12/06: The mother of student at a Detroit high school is in jail after stabbing two other students at the school.

1/13/06: A 17 year old student is in a Detroit jail after firing a gun inside his Detroit high school. Police believe he was firing into the air to warn others.

1/13/06: A 15 year old student of Milwee Middle School was shot by a Seminole County Sheriff’s SWAT Team.  The student was brandishing a 9mm look-a-like toy gun which he was representing as a real one.  The student later die of his injuries

1/17/06: A fight started at a high school basket ball game in Calumet City but ended after the game with a 17 year old student severely beaten and stabbed and three other students under arrest.

1/20/06: A group of students on their way to Hillcrest high in Queens, NY were attacked by a gang wielding hockey sticks and possible other weapons. Two wounded students stumbled into the school where administrators called 911. Four students were taken to the hospital. Five member of the attacking gang were arrested. They are not students at Hillcrest.

1/23/06: At Milwee Middle School (see deadly shooting 1/13/06 above) a female student called in a very specific bomb threat.  She was caught on the 7-11's video camera making the call to the school. She was later arrested.

1/25/06: At Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, a 17 year-old former student enters school with a pellet gun and discard 8 rounds in a class with students.  Bowmanville High School, Vincent Massey Public School and Central Public school of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board went into lockdown mode for about 20 minutes after a suspect, allegedly a former student at the high school, walked into a classroom at 9 a.m. and started firing. The suspect walked out of the school and discharged the weapon again in a nearby, empty field, according to police.

2/13/06: Buffalo, NY Last week fights in two different schools resulted in seven suspensions--all were female. This represents a growing trend around the country. As of this date, Buffalo schools have suspended 577 girls for fighting, assault or physical contact. This is about 6 every school day.  See article "Violence among Girls on the Rise".

2/16/06: Albany, NY  A fight broke out at Albany High School that sent one student to the ER for stitches.  "They're gonna need to start kicking people out of school  'cause it's crazy. There's no control over anyone," said the student who was injured during the fight.

2/16/06: Vernal, UT Police arrested a student who was planning a major assault against teachers and fellow students. Police found detailed threats in a chat room. The student admitted the plans were real. Police said the most disturbing thing is the number of other students who knew about the plot over a month but never came forward or talked to anyone else. See "Kids are the Keys'

This is just the first two weeks of the new year and only what was reported. Some will argue that not all of these are school related because the students were on their way to school or on their way home from school. The legal standard for "school activity" is threshold to threshold. However, the intent of this article is not to assess blame or responsibility but to bring awareness of the violence that students face everyday. Going to school should be privilege, where young people can learn a curriculum and socialization. It should not be a an experience of being forced to go into a fearful environment where more and more students are carrying weapons for self defense or dropping out to avoid injury.

Keys can help schools through critical training and services.

• Meet our Subject Mater Experts who have help many schools with your concerns and problem.

• Anger Management/De-escalation will help teachers, administrators, SRO's or any other youth workers know how to spot angering situations and de-escalate them before someone gets hurts and someone else goes to jail.

• Assessing the Potentially Dangerous Student will help schools with a risk/threat assessment and method of objectively recording indicators that a student is in need of services,  which services should be utilized and how quickly it needs to happen. This program takes very little in terms of resource and time but pays major dividends in averting violence in the school.

• Bullying Stops When Respect Begins is an imbedded curriculum program that seeks to meet needs rather than controlling by punishment. It empowers students to become proactive in reducing or eliminating bullying themselves, without bullying those who bully. Students as well as staff can be trained as trainers in this program that effectively counters the number source of school (and workplace) violence--Bullying.

These and many other programs are available through Keys at Critical Training. The principles of all Keys' Training are:

• Practical. If Keys has not seen it work, it is not presented. This is not another theory, but practical application that can be put in place immediately.

• Tailored. Keys never tries to force a canned program. Every training event is designed to meet the needs of the organization. Keys Multi-Disciplinary Team of Subject Matter Experts can asses needs and design a specific program.

• Cost effective. Keys is keenly aware of budget limitations in education. All trainings are priced well below national norms and most provide certification as a trainer so that the school can then provide their own training in-house.

If your school or organization is concerned about slowing the trend to violence in today's youth, contact Key To Safer Schools today to learn how your school can be better prepared. You may even find how you can receive free training.

To Learn How "Keys To Safer Schools" Can Help.

To Learn more about Crisis Planning

Learning what to look for - "Early Warning Signs"

Map of School Shootings

If you have any comments or questions please Email us at keys@keystosaferschools.com.