School Violence
Dietra A. Peterson
M7A1 Project 1 Sociology 428
Professor Allen
Thesis Statement
School violence is a many-faceted problem, which makes it difficult for anyone to truly pinpoint the specific reason that it exists. It is critical that everyone understands that we have to address school violence in order for society to correct the problem and ensure that children within schools are not only safe but continue to learn. School violence has been paired with the layering of causes and risk factors that include (however are not limited to) access to weapons, media violence, cyber abuse, school, community, and family environments, personal alienation, and much more.
Several school-based studies have revealed that many violent behaviors have increased among children and adolescents. Within “Indicators of School Crime and Safety,” a 2006 study by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice, it revealed that public schools experiencing violent incidents increased from 71 to 81 percent over a five-year period (1999-2004).
Parental involvement within the lives of their children will influence the elimination of school violence within the schools because of encouraged social skills not only with their peers but also adults, their involvement within school activities and church events has produced good grades, and my opinion is based off of my three children who have not had a father figure within their lives for the past eight years.
What is the Zero Tolerance Policy?
Zero-tolerance policies punish all offenses severely, no matter how minor. The zero tolerance discipline policies was enacted to slow down school violence, drug and gun use yet this policy is starting to reflect residual effects of higher suspension and expulsion rates. Many Americans believe that this policy has ran its course and that it may be time to truly look at the root cause of the...