Mar 18, 2018, Terre Haute (IN) Tribune Star: Guest Column: Making Indiana's schools safer and more secure http://www.tribstar.com/opinion/flashpoint/guest-column-making-indiana-s-schools-safer-and-more-secure/article_a05fb658-2929-11e8-91ef-bba4cfd56f20.html It has become an all too familiar and disturbing headline: another mass shooting in a school with innocent students and heroic educators left dead or wounded. Most Indiana schools plan, prepare, and partner to diminish the risks associated with such a horrific incident. The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) plays an important role in providing guidance and support to schools that are either under state mandate or not under mandate yet elect to participate in IDOE school safety opportunities. … Currently, your IDOE trains and certifies School Safety Specialists. To date, Indiana has issued more than 2,000 certifications. These Specialists are trained to lead the development and implementation of school safety practices which work to provide safe educational environments for students. In addition, IDOE conducts audits of local school safety plans. Annually, district superintendents are responsible to review each school building and overall district plans and sign assurances to confirm compliance. …
Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.