At Kidsdata.org, a program of Lucile Packard Foundation, they studied and reported on how safe kids felt at California Schools.
On kidsdata.org, measures of school safety come from the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS), California Student Survey (CSS), and California School Climate Survey (CSCS). These indicators are made available through a partnership with WestEd, which developed and administers the surveys, and the California Department of Education. Indicators include:
Student reports of school safety, fear of being beaten up at school, physical fighting at school, carrying at gun at school, and carrying a knife or other weapon at school*
School staff reports of the extent to which students and staff are safe at at school, and student physical fighting and weapons possession are problems at school
Why This Topic Is Import
The safety and supportiveness of a child’s school environment can play a crucial role in his or her development and academic success. When students feel safe and supported at school, they tend to have better school attendance and test scores, and they are less likely to engage in risky behavior, such as substance abuse and violence (1 Continue reading on Kidsdata.org website.
As a parent, what can you do?
First, realize that some kids don’t want to share that they are being bullied or that they are afraid?They can be worried that if they tell you these fears, then you will step in and make it worse for them at school. I know because my daughter was being emotionally bullied and she kept it from me most of the time.
Kids see the bullying as their problem, not yours.
When you read my Who’s Problem Is It To Solve? articles, fear at school and bullying is a joint problem to solve with your child because there are rules and values being broken. Looking back, I think I would have more clearly stated to my daughter that we would decide together what is to be done. That I wouldn’t do anything on my own. Perhaps that would have helped her open up more about her fears.
Also, read about how we block communication in the article: Why Won’t My Child Share Their Problems with Me?
©2015 Cynthia Klein, Bridges 2 Understanding, has been a Family Success Coach since 1994. She works with parents and organizations who want more cooperation, mutual respect and understanding between adults and children. Cynthia presents her expertise through speaking and private parenting coaching sessions. She writes the Middle School Mom column for the Parenting on the Peninsula magazine. She works with parents of 4 – 25 year-old children. Contact Cynthia at bridges2understa.wpstagecoach.com or 650. 679.8138 to have a complementary discovery session about finding solutions to your challenges. http://wp.me/p2TgAe-No
