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Adapted with permission from the
ASJA LAW AND POLICY REPORT, Friday, May 11, 2007, No. 254
Following the
tragic events at Virginia Tech most campuses have reviewed their policies
related to the identification and management of individuals who pose a
threat to the campus. One of the foremost authorities in this area is
Dr. Gary Pavela of the University of Maryland-College Park. Dr. Pavela
has provided a very informative and relevant brief that addresses many of
the issues related to helping distressed students while at the same time
protecting the university community. Faculty and staff have
considerable responsibility for helping distressed students and proactively
referring them to appropriate campus services. Included in this brief
are recommendations for faculty to clearly define behavioral expectations to
their students in each syllabus. He also identifies how faculty and
staff need to respond to disruptive students.
In addition, Dr.
Pavela has provided relevant findings from recent research on topics related
to student disruption and violence. The following information has been
adapted to provide faculty and staff insight into the identification and
provision of appropriate services to students who are distressed or
disturbed, and who may put themselves or members of our campus community at
risk. You may navigate to a particular area of interest simply by
clicking on the topics listed immediately below.
UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIORS OF
CONCERN
THE DISTRESSED STUDENT
THE DISTURBED STUDENT
THE DISRUPTIVE STUDENT
THE DANGEROUS STUDENT
STUDENT RIGHTS & FACULTY / STAFF
RESPONSIBILITIES
THE RIGHT RESOURCE
FOR YOUR SPECIFIC SITUATION
CAMPUS CRIME,
SUICIDE, AND PREDICTION OF VIOLENCE
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
What should I do if I have
concerns about a student?
You will
find pertinent data and general advice in this web site. What’s more important to remember is that
trained colleagues are standing by to help.
The campus police will respond to threats of violence or any other
violations of law or student conduct regulations. Administrators
responsible for student conduct are authorized to impose an immediate
suspension (pending a hearing) if a student engages in threatening or
disruptive behavior. And mental health professionals can assist in conducting
appropriate evaluation processes or invoke other procedures to address the
behaviors of students who pose a “direct threat” to self or others.
UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIORS OF CONCERN
Let’s begin by looking at the range of behaviors that you may
encounter that might cause you concern, discomfort,
or that may interfere with your work or the education of other students.
It is important to try to resist the temptation to “profile”
students based on media reports of past high profile incidents of campus
violence. However, as a faculty or staff member at ETSU, you are in an
excellent position to recognize behavior changes that may characterize an
emotionally troubled student.
A student’s concerning behavior, especially if it is inconsistent
with your previous observations, could reflect a need for intervention or be
a “cry for help."
We may think of concerning behaviors falling across a spectrum that
ranges from the distressed student to the dangerous student, with the
categories of disturbed and disruptive falling somewhere between the two
poles. While the categories are not clear cut, and don’t necessarily unfold
in a clear progression, it may be helpful to consider
behavior that are most often indicative of each of these categories.
Students must be treated fairly and responsibly—just as
administrators and faculty members would expect if they were the subject of
comparable inquiry— but the campus is not powerless or reluctant to act
decisively when threats arise. Our overall process in this regard is
coordinated by Dr. Joe Sherlin, the Dean of
Students (439-4210). In emergencies call the campus
police first at439-4480 or 439-6900.
THE DISTRESSED STUDENT
Generally, the behavior of the distressed student causes us
concern for the personal well-being of that student, rather than creating a
worry for their impact on ourselves or on the classroom. Signs of a student
in distress may include the following:
- Excessive procrastination
and very poorly prepared work, especially if inconsistent with
previous work
- Infrequent class
attendance with little or no work completed
- Dependency (e.g., the student
who hangs around or makes excessive appointments during office hours)
- Listlessness, lack of
energy, or frequently falling asleep in class
- Marked changes in
personal hygiene
- Students who appear
overly nervous, tense or tearful
- Repeated requests for
special consideration (e.g., deadline extensions)
- Report of sexual or
physical assault, or the recent death of a friend or family member
Tips for dealing with the
distressed student
- Speak with the student
privately and confidentially. Document all conversations.
- Let the student know that
you are aware that they may be feeling down, and that you would like
to help.
- Encourage the student to
seek help through The Counseling Center. You may want to offer
to let the student call for an appointment from your office, or you
may want to walk with the student to the Counseling
Center office (D.P. Culp Center,
Room 340).
Report to the Counseling
Center any instance
in which a student confides in you that s/he is considering suicide.
Also call the Counseling
Center for
consultation and assistance if the student shares other information that is
of concern to you. Their number is
(423)439-4841.
THE DISTURBED STUDENT
The behavior of the disturbed student often makes those around
him/her feel vaguely uncomfortable on some level. Generally, we feel as
though the disturbed student is acting irrationally or out of synch with
the reality that we perceive. Signs of a disturbed student may include the
following:
- Impaired speech and
disjointed thoughts
- Emotional responses that
may be incongruent and/or inappropriate
- Expressed suicidal
thoughts (e.g., referring to suicide as a current option)
- Self-mutilating
behaviors, including cutting or burning of the self
- Frequent or high levels
of irritable or abrasive behavior
- Unable to make decisions
despite your repeated efforts to clarify or encourage
- Bizarre behavior that is
obviously inappropriate for the situation (e.g., talking to
something/someone that is not present)
- Report of sexual or
physical assault, or the recent death of a friend or family member
- Suspicious and/or
paranoid thoughts
Tips for dealing with the disturbed
student
- If there is no immediate
threat, speak with the student privately and confidentially. Document
all conversations.
- Express your concern for
their behavior, and set appropriate limits for their interactions with
you in and out of the classroom.
- It is generally not
helpful to argue with the student or try to convince them or their
irrationality. It is also generally not helpful to “play along” and
reinforce any delusions.
- It may be helpful to
acknowledge the student’s feelings without supporting the
misperception (e.g., “I understand that you think you are hearing
voices, but I cannot hear them, and I believe you are safe.”)
- Document each incident of
inappropriate behavior.
- Contact The Counseling
Center for consultation and assistance in responding to the student.
If the student is disruptive in class, s/he may be asked to
leave the classroom for the remainder of the period. In such a case, the
faculty member should contact Dr. Joe Sherlin, the
Dean of Students, (423)439-4210 for further instructions regarding the
student’s potential return to the classroom. If you wish to remove the student for longer than the
remainder of the class period, you must contact the Dean of Students to
file the appropriate forms so that the incident can be addressed through
the judicial system.
THE DISRUPTIVE STUDENT
The behavior of the disruptive student may or may not include elements
of disturbed behavior, but always negatively impacts those around him/her.
The disruptive student makes it difficult for routine work or teaching to
take place. Behaviors that may be considered disruptive include the
following:
- Behavior which persistently
interferes with effective class management, including an inability to
comply with the directives of the instructor.
- Frequent or high levels
of irritable, unruly, abrasive, or aggressive behavior, including
argumentative questioning or monopolizing of classroom discussion.
- Bizarre behavior that is
obviously inappropriate for the situation (e.g., talking to
something/someone that is not present).
Tips for dealing with the
disruptive student
- If there is no immediate threat,
speak with the student privately and confidentially. Document all
conversations.
- Express your concern for
their behavior, and set appropriate limits for their interactions with
you in and out of the classroom.
- Document each incident of
inappropriate behavior and any witnesses to each incident.
- If the student is
disruptive in class, s/he may be asked to leave the classroom for the
remainder of the period. In such a case, the faculty member should
contact Judicial Affairs for further instructions regarding the
student’s potential return to the classroom.
- If you wish to remove the
student for longer than the remainder of the class period, you must
contact the Dean of Students to file the appropriate forms so that the
incident can be addressed through the judicial system. You can not
remove a student for an extended period of time without making a
referral to the Dean of Students.
- Avoid escalating the
situation; speak calmly and with concern. Avoid physical contact.
- If the student is
uncooperative in leaving the classroom, contact ETSU Police by calling
911 from a campus phone or 439-6900 from your cell phone. Do not delay
assistance by calling The Counseling Center for assistance. Your first
call should be to ETSU Police.
If the student poses an immediate danger to others, you may
choose to dismiss the class while waiting for police intervention. Use good
judgment to protect your safety and the safety of others. Avoid escalating
the situation; speak calmly and with concern
THE DANGEROUS STUDENT
The behavior of the dangerous student threatens the health and
well-being of those around him/her. Behaviors which may be considered
dangerous to self or others include the following:
- Expressed suicidal
thoughts, threats, or the making of suicidal gestures.
- Self-mutilating
behaviors, including cutting or burning of the self.
- Threats to others.
- Carrying or brandishing a
weapon.
- Intimidating behaviors,
including inappropriate touching and/or standing to close to others, harassment
or stalking.
Tips for dealing with the dangerous
student
- Contact ETSU Public
Safety by calling 911 from a campus phone or 439-6900 from your cell
phone.
- Do not delay by calling
The Counseling Center for assistance. Your first call should be to
ETSU Public Safety.
- Avoid escalating the
situation; speak calmly and with concern. Avoid physical contact.
- If the student poses an
immediate danger to others, you may choose to dismiss the class while
waiting for police intervention.
- Use good judgment to
protect your safety and the safety of others. Do not attempt to keep
the perpetrator from leaving the classroom.
Document the incident including any witnesses that were
present.
STUDENT RIGHTS & FACULTY / STAFF
RESPONSIBILITIES
The primary aim of intervening with a student who may be
exhibiting behaviors of concern is to both assist the student and protect
the university community. Achieving these two goals sometimes requires a
careful balancing act. Often, campus officials, working in concert with the
student and parents, can help the student find effective support that
allows him/her to successfully complete their studies without an adverse
impact on the overall community.
However, sometimes it may appear that the student’s behavior is so
disruptive that they must be removed from a specific class or from the
campus in order to protect their own health and safety or the health and
safety of others. In those circumstances, it is imperative that the faculty
or staff member work with the Dean of Students to explore all alternatives.
Students have legal rights that protected them against arbitrary
removal from classes or the campus; any such university action must follow
due-process requirements for the student while minimizing negative impact
on the classroom or campus community. In addition, the American
Disabilities Act protects student from negative action taken on the basis
of a protected disability.
Generally, a student's behavior will be the sole basis for
imposing disciplinary sanctions; whether the student has a mental
disability or underlying emotional problem is irrelevant. At ETSU, the Vice
Provost and Chief Student Affairs Officer has the sole authority to
permanently remove a student from the classroom and/or from campus, and may
do so only through the university’s due process. Faculty must report
disruptive behaviors to the Dean of Students and participate in the
judicial process in order to move forward with barring a student from the
classroom.
Faculty can help by taking pro-active steps to insure that students
are aware of the instructor’s expectations for classroom behavior.
Standards of appropriate classroom behavior should be included in the class
syllabus and should be discussed them at the first class meeting.
Communicating these standards within the syllabus will promote student
retention by preventing confusion and misinterpretation of conduct expected
by the instructor and provides the basis for disciplinary action, should it
become necessary.
Suggested items for inclusion on each syllabus:
- Policy regarding
attendance, punctuality and tardiness, including consequences.
- Statement regarding
appropriate behavior between student and instructor and/or classmates.
- Appropriate expectations
for instructor time and attention inside and outside of class room.
General policies regarding communication with instructor, including
instructor office hours and location, appointments and drop-in policy,
phone number and policy regarding returning telephone calls.
- Statement regarding
conflict resolution in the classroom (how to discuss
differences/disagreements with the instructor and other students).
- General policy on eating,
drinking, smoking in class.
- General policy regarding
children and visitors in class.
- General policy regarding
breaks and leaving and entering class at other than break time(s).
- General policy on
plagiarism.
- General policy regarding
cell phones, pagers, laptop computers, PDAs
Statement
regarding reasonable accommodation for students with documented special
needs:
If you have a disability that may
require assistance or accommodations, or if you have any questions related
to any accommodation for testing, note taking, reading, etc., please speak
with me as soon as possible. You should contact the Office of Disability
Services (439-8346) with any questions about such services.
THE RIGHT RESOURCE FOR YOUR SPECIFIC
SITUATION
A variety of resources and staff are available on the ETSU campus
to help faculty determine the optimal response to a disruptive or dangerous
student or situation. The key is to determine the appropriate contact to
make for the specific situation you are facing. Contacting the right
department with your first call will help reduce your stress and minimize
the time required to connect to the most effective intervention. As a
reminder, here are the resources prepared to assist you in dealing with
student of concern.
Below are some situations that might arise and an appropriate
response:
If you are facing an immediate threat from a dangerous
or currently disruptive student:
If a student is actively disruptive in your classroom, and fails
to modify his/her behavior at your request, OR if you believe the student
poses an immediate threat to yourself, classmates, or him/her self, you
should contact the ETSU Public Safety by calling 911 on a campus phone or
439-6900 from your cell phone. Do not delay appropriate intervention
by calling The Counseling Center or your department chair for review or
discussion. If you believe the student poses an immediate threat,
call ETSU Public Safety immediately.
If you have an initial or
growing concern about a student who seems as though they may be disturbed
or experiencing distress:
Often a student may experience mental health problems that have a
negative impact on their academic work, and they find it difficult to
follow through on their academic responsibilities. Such a student may come
to faculty with involved tales of interpersonal or family difficulties,
which they hope will elicit sympathy and produce an incomplete/extension
from the faculty member.
To assist you in separating a legitimate excuse ("beyond the
student's control") from one that is more manipulative, you may
request that the student visit ETSU's
Counseling Center to meet with a counselor. If the student signs
a release of information form, the counselor will be happy to assist you in
determining the potential impact of the student’s mental health status or
their legitimate ability to complete required coursework.
Faculty are invited to contact Dr. Steve Brown, Director of
Counseling Services ,at (423) 439-4841 to discuss
a student of concern and to seek advice about referral and/or
intervention.
If you are working with a student who is requesting a
reasonable accommodation for a disability:
Occasionally
a student will tell you s/he has a learning or psychological disability and
may request special academic accommodations. In these circumstances a
referral to Disability Services will be appropriate. Disability Services,
the ETSU office responsible for verifying documented disabilities, will
make specific recommendations regarding reasonable academic accommodations
that are compliant with federal regulation.
Client confidentiality will be maintained; therefore, we may not
be able to share with you any specific details about the student's
situation. However, all recommendations for accommodations will be sent by
memo on letterhead from the Disability Services office. Each faculty member
is asked to sign this memo, indicating that they are in agreement with the
accommodation and that it does not create a problem for the academic
integrity for the course. If the faculty member has a concern
regarding the suggested accommodation, s/he should contact Disability
Services at (423)439-8346 to discuss alternatives.
If you are responding to a student who has violated or
whom you suspect has violated a campus rule or policy:
Any student who engages in behavior prohibited by the ETSU Code of
Conduct should be reported to the Dean of Students (423)439-4210.
Behaviors which may represent a violation of the Code of Conduct
include, but are not limited to the following:
- Use of electronic devices
such as cell phones, MP3 players, PDA’s while class is in session
- Inappropriate
communication while class is in session – speaking while the
instructor is speaking; mimicking or mocking the instructor or another
student; constantly repeating an instructor’s words, etc
- Personal attacks against
another student or instructor – yelling at another person, abusive
criticism of another person, challenging an instructor’s authority in
front of the class, using profanity aimed at another person in the
class
- Overt inattentiveness –
sleeping in class, snoring in class, reading a newspaper or doing
other homework in class, sitting with your back to the classroom, etc.
- Threatening behavior –
using gestures or language in an attempt to intimidate another person
- Disrespectful behavior –
persistent tardiness, persistent late arrivals or early departures
without permission, etc.
- Plagiarism or other forms
of academic misconduct
If you receive a class assignment which causes you to
believe the student may be disturbed or threatening:
As a proactive strategy, class syllabi should include ground rules
for assignments and classroom discussion. Faculty will want to state their
expectations with regard to how students address one another, how they
address the instructor, how class members can disagree without becoming
disagreeable, and what topics are or are not acceptable as the basis for
assignments.
However,
a student may still submit a class assignment which includes content that
the faculty member finds to be disturbing or threatening. If this should
happen, it is important that faculty members share the concern with others
that can help evaluate the situation and help determine a plan of action.
Faculty should plan to consult with their department chair, as well as with
the
Director of Counseling Center (423)439-4841 to
discuss the best plan of action based on the specific circumstances of the
case. If a specific threat has been made, ETSU Police should be contacted
immediately.
CAMPUS CRIME,
SUICIDE, AND PREDICTION OF VIOLENCE
How frequent are homicides and
other violent crimes on campus?
According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, the
Census Bureau, and the FBI, “the murder rate on college campuses was 0.28
per 100,000 people, compared with 5.5 per 100,000 nationally” (U.S. News
and World Report April 30, p. 49). The magnitude of the Virginia Tech
shootings (32 people killed) is highlighted by the fact that the total
number of murders on American college campuses (approximately 4,200
institutions enrolling 16 million students) “fluctuated between 9 and 24”
[a year] between 1997 and 2004" (Virginia Youth Violence Project,
School of Education, University of Virginia, 2007).
In terms of other types of violent crime (robbery, aggravated
assault, and simple assault against students), a 2005 U.S. Department of
Justice study by Katrina Baum and Patsy Klaus (Statisticians for the Bureau
of Justice Statistics) reported that:
·
For the period 1995 to 2002, college students ages 18
to 24 experienced violence at average annual rates lower than those for nonstudents in the same age group (61 per 1,000
students versus 75 per 1,000 nonstudents). Except
for rape/sexual assault, average annual rates were lower for students than
for nonstudents for each type of violent crime
measured . . . Rates of rape/sexual assault for the two groups did not
differ statistically.
·
Between 1995 and 2002 rates of both overall and
serious violence declined for college students and nonstudents.
The violent crime rate for college students declined 54% (41 versus 88 per
1,000) and for nonstudents declined 45% (102
versus 56 per 1,000).
Among the “characteristics of violent victimizations of
college students” Baum and Klaus reported that “93% of crimes occurred off
campus, of which 72% occurred at night.” (“Violent Victimization of College
Students, 1995-2002").
How dangerous is college teaching?
A 2001 Bureau of Justice Statistics [BJS] report (the latest
in the series available) on "Violence in the Workplace" (data for
1993 through 1999 from the National Crime Victimization Survey) shows that employees
of colleges and universities have a violent crime victimization rate of 1.6
per 1,000, compared to 16.2 for physicians; 20 for retail sales workers;
54.2 for junior high teachers; 68.2 for mental health professionals; and
260.8 for police officers. The BJS report states that "[a]mong the occupational groups examined . . . college
teachers were victimized the least."
School shootings are often
suicides. How widespread is suicide among college students?
Multiple studies have found that college students commit
suicide at half the rate of their non-student peers. One of the most cited
surveys “found an overall student suicide rate of 7.5 per 100,000, compared
to the national average of 15 per 100,000 in a sample matched for age, race
and gender” (Silverman, et al., 1997, “The Big Ten Student Suicide Study: a
10-year study of suicides on Midwestern university campuses,” Suicide and
Life Threatening Behavior 27[3]:285-303).
Generally, the national suicide rate for teenagers and young
adults has been declining—after an extraordinary increase since the 1950s.
More baseline studies pertaining to college students are needed, but
experts believe the suicide rate in that group has been declining as well.
Are more students coming to college
with mental disorders?
Probably yes. Caution is required because increases in
counseling center visits and use of psychotropic medications may mean
contemporary students are more willing to seek help for mental illness. In
any event, college health center directors have been calling particular
attention to larger numbers of students reporting the characteristics of
clinical depression.
A 2004 American College Health Association study found that
forty-five percent of the students surveyed “felt so depressed” that it was
“difficult to function.” Nearly 1 in 10 students reported that such
feelings occurred “9 or more times” in the past school year. Likewise,
about 10% of college students report they “seriously considered suicide”
and about 1.4% reported they had attempted suicide (Morton Silverman,
Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University
of Chicago; 2006 presentation at
the University
of Vermont Conference
on Legal Issues in Higher Education).
Shouldn’t we routinely remove
depressed students, especially if they report suicidal ideation?
No. Routine dismissal wouldn’t make sense. A 2006 article by
Paul S. Appelbaum, Professor and Director of the
Division of Psychiatry, Law, and Ethics at the Columbia University College
of Physicians and Surgeons (and a past President of the American
Psychiatric Association) highlights some the practical issues involved:
No matter how uncommon completed suicides are among college
students, surveys suggest that suicidal ideation and attempts are
remarkably prevalent. Two large scale studies generated nearly identical
findings. Roughly 10 percent of college student respondents indicated that
they had thought about suicide in the past year, and 1.5 percent admitted
to having made a suicide attempt.
Combining data from the available studies suggests that the odds that a student with suicidal ideation will actually
commit suicide are 1,000 to 1. Thus policies that impose restrictions on
students who manifest suicidal ideation will sweep in 999 students who
would not commit suicide for every student who will end his or her
life—with no guarantee that the intervention will actually reduce the risk
of suicide in this vulnerable group. And even if such restrictions were
limited to students who actually attempt suicide, the odds are around 200
to 1 against the school's having acted to prevent a suicidal outcome"
(emphasis supplied).
(Psychiatric Services:
"'Depressed? Get Out!' July 2006, Vol. 57, No. 7, 914-916).
Aside from unjustified removal of thousands of
individuals—including some of our best and most creative students—routine
dismissals for reported depression or suicidal ideation would also
discourage students from seeking professional help. Good policy, good
practice, and adherence to state and federal laws protecting people with
disabilities require professional individualized assessment and a fair
procedure before students or employees can be removed on the ground that
they have a mental disability that poses a “direct threat” to themselves or
others.
Is there an association between
mental illness and violence?
Research shows some association between severe mental illness
and violence, especially when mental illness is accompanied by substance
abuse. The 1994 American Psychiatric Association “Fact Sheet on Violence
and Mental Illness” contains the following observation:
People often fear what they do not understand, and for many of
us, mental illnesses fall into that category. This fear . . .[often] stems
from the common misconception that the term ‘mental illness’ is a
diagnosis, and that all mental illnesses thus have similar symptoms, making
all people who suffer with them equally suspect and dangerous . . .
Recent research has shown that the
vast majority of people who are violent do not suffer from mental
illnesses. However, there is a certain small subgroup of people with
severe and persistent mental illnesses who are at risk of becoming violent.
. . (emphasis supplied).
The U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services document
“Understanding Mental Illness” (April 20, 2007) contains the observation
that “[c]ompared with the risk associated with
the combination of male gender, young age, and lower socioeconomic status,
the risk of violence presented by mental disorder is modest.” Such a
“modest” correlation won’t be sufficient to draw conclusions about the
future behavior of any particular student.
Again, individualized assessment will be imperative, focusing
on a specific diagnosis, demonstrable behavior, compliance in taking
prescribed medications, patterns of substance abuse, and any recent
traumatic events or stresses, among other factors.
How can I identify potentially
violent students?
This is not a task to be undertaken alone. Expertise is
available on campus to help. See the contact information in our first
answer. It’s important to resist the temptation to try to “profile”
potentially violent students based on media reports of past shootings.
The 2003 National Research Council [NRC] report Deadly
Lessons: Understanding Lethal School Violence (a project undertaken by the
councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of
Engineering, and the Institute
of Medicine) contains
the following guidance:
One widely discussed preventive idea is to develop methods to
identify likely offenders in instances of lethal school violence or school
rampages . . . The difficulty is that . . . [t]he offenders are not that
unusual; they look like their classmates at school. This has been an
important finding of all those who have sought to investigate these
shootings. Most important are the findings of the United States Secret
Service, which concluded:
- Attacker ages ranged from
11–21.
- They came from a variety
of racial and ethnic backgrounds.
- They came from a range of
family situations, from intact families with numerous ties to the
community to foster homes with histories of neglect.
- The academic performance
ranged from excellent to failing.
- They had a range of
friendship patterns from socially isolated to popular.
- Their behavioral histories
varied, from having no observed behavioral problems to multiple
behaviors warranting reprimand and/or discipline.
- Few attackers showed any
marked change in academic performance, friendship status, interest in
school, or disciplinary problems prior to their attack.
Should I talk with a student about
my concerns?
Exercise judgment on a case by case basis, preferably after
consultation with colleagues.
An effort at conversation is generally advisable. Students are
often oblivious to the impressions they make. Careful listening and
courteous dialogue —perhaps with participation by a department chair or
student conduct administrator— will often resolve the problem. At a
minimum, the discussion may prove valuable in any subsequent threat
assessment process.
Please do not give assurances of confidentially. A student who
appears to pose a threat to self or others needs to be referred for help
and supervision. College teachers should not abrogate their traditional
role as guides and mentors, but they must not assume the responsibilities
of therapists or police officers.
One danger in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings
would be a climate of fear and distance between teachers and students,
especially students who seem odd, eccentric, or detached. Research on
violence prevention suggests schools and colleges need more
cross-generational contact, not less. The NRC report stated that:
In the course of our interviews with adolescents, we are
reminded once again of how ‘adolescent society,’ as James S. Coleman
famously dubbed it 40 years ago, continues to be insulated from the adults
who surround it . . . The insularity of adolescent society serves to
magnify slights and reinforce social hierarchies; correspondingly, it is
only through exchange with trusted adults that teens can reach the longer‑term
view that can come with maturity. . . [W]e could not put it better than the
words of a beloved long‑time teacher [at one of the schools studied]:
‘The only real way of preventing [school violence] is to get into their
heads and their hearts . . .’
Getting into the “heads and hearts” of students goes beyond
individual conversations. It entails fostering a community of engagement, defined not by codes of silence or
barriers of indifference, but by an active sense of mutual responsibility.
This critical endeavor depends upon the faculty. Now more than ever faculty
members must demonstrate skills in reaching outward, not retreating inward.
ASJA Law and Policy Report (LPR) is
written by Gary Pavela (www.garypavela.com) and
published weekly (except national holidays; during the ASJA National
Conference and Gehring Academy;
from mid‑December to mid‑January; and the month of August).
Copyright: ASJA and Gary Pavela: All rights reserved.
Further transmission within ASJA member institutions is permitted, if the
author and ASJA are credited as the source. The information and comments
provided here are designed to encourage discussion and analysis. They
represent the views of the authors (not ASJA) and do not constitute legal
advice. For legal advice the services of an attorney in your jurisdiction
should be sought.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (From PaperClip Communications)
Resources (PDFs):
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ETSU would like to thank the following for their assistance in
sharing resources which have been used to construct this resource guide for
faculty and staff:
- SUNY Binghamton Counseling Services
- University of California,
San Diego
- College of Alameda
- Organization of Counseling Center Directors in Higher
Education
- PaperClip Communications
- ASJA Law
And Policy Report
- Middle
Tennessee State University Counseling Center
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