School Violence: An Overview

Over the last ten years, the rapid increase in school violence has captured the attention of policymakers, educators and even the students. According to a 1996 Children's Institute International Poll of American Adolescents, 47 percent of the respondents asserted that schools were becoming increasingly violent. Ten percent of the respondents stated that they were fearful of being victimized by violence and over 20 percent were wary of going to restrooms or other areas where students were frequently victimized (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 1998a).

School violence also occurs at the elementary school level. The NCES (1998b) reported that one or more violent incidents occurred at 45 percent of elementary schools during the 1996-97 school year. Moreover, four percent and 41 percent of elementary schools reported one or more serious violent crimes and less serious or nonviolent crimes respectively. In their report commissioned by the Department of Education, Sinclair, Hamilton, Gutmann, Daft and Bolcik (1998) found that elementary schools accounted for nine percent of the expulsions that resulted from students bringing firearms to school. During the Fourth Phi Delta Kappa Poll of Teacher's Attitudes toward the Public Schools, Langdon (1997) reported that 12 percent of elementary school teachers highlighted the occurrence of school violence such as racial fights, physical attacks on the teachers and theft by force in their scho

se of their rejection by friends. Furthermore, this discussion also indicated that children who have cognitive deficits can be taught strategies to help them interact with other. Applying the theories to the above description of the children in this age group, it is clear that theorists such as Erikson, Fromm, Piaget and Vygotsky have aptly described their development. Children in this age group are undergoing a high rate of growth in both their physical, cognitive and social capacities. However, children who experience delays in puberty or have difficulties coping with these transitions may have feelings of inferiority, which lead them to act out in aggression. These children's increased ability to think, process their knowledge, model behavior also makes them highly vulnerable to negative influences in their lives. Furthermore, the impact of the social influences on the children has also been highlighted by the theorists. Considering the significant pressure on children to conform to societal expectations, children in this age group are more likely to be influenced by parents, adult figures and peers. As school occupies an increasing part of their lives, children's aggression may also represent ways for them to fit

Category: Psychology - S