How to Recognize Violent Students in Your School

Violence in the schools is a problem for many teachers and administrators. Unlike previous generations, today almost all parents worry about the safety of their children in the learning environment, as evidenced by raising rates of home-schooling. Students themselves, frequently cite episodes of violence which they witnessed, participated in or were a victim.

So what is to be done to make our institutions of learning safer? How can we stop the rising tide of violent tragedies that mar the educational experience for so many students/ Perhaps, one of the first steps which can be taken is for educational professionals to educate themselves about the warning signs a student may give prior to an outburst of violent activity.

Since 1992, the National School Safety Center (NSSC) has been tracking violent episodes in schools, caused by students, which resulted in at least one death. Based on these incidents, the NSSC discovered several characteristics displayed by students prior to violent acting out in an academic setting. Below is a checklist of behaviors, developed in 1998 by the NSSC, which may indicate a student has the potential for harming himself/herself and/or others:

Has a history of tantrums and uncontrollable angry outbursts.

Characteristically resorts to name calling, cursing or abusive language.

Habitually makes violent threats when angry.

Has previously brought a weapon to school.

Has a background of serious disciplinary problems at school and in the
community.

Has a background of drug, alcohol or other substance abuse or
dependency.

Is on the fringe of his/her peer group with few or no close friends?

Is preoccupied with weapons, explosives or other incendiary devices.

Has previously been truant, suspended or expelled from school.

Displays cruelty to animals.

Has little or no supervision and support from parents or a caring adult.

Has witnessed or been a victim of abuse or neglect in the home.

Has been bullied and/or bullies or intimidates peers or younger children.

Tends to blame others for difficulties and problems s/he causes
her/himself.

Consistently prefers TV shows, movies or music expressing violent
themes and acts.

Prefers reading materials dealing with violent themes, rituals and abuse.

Reflects anger, frustration and the dark side of life in school essays or
writing projects.

Is involved with a gang or an antisocial group on the fringe of peer
acceptance.

Is often depressed and/or has significant mood swings.

Has threatened or attempted suicide.

Although the checklist was developed in 1998, the characteristics were found in the perpetrators of recent violent school tragedies such as those in Columbine and Red Lake. While the checklist does not encompass all the characteristics of a student with the potential to perpetrate such a crime, it does provide a place to begin in identifying a troubled violent young person. If a young man or woman is displaying any of these behaviors, a school professional should alert the student's parents/guardians to the risk of violence the younger person may be presenting to themselves and others. It is also advisable, when red flags such as those described on the checklist surface, school administration be made aware of the situation immediately.

Having learned from events resulting in the deaths of students and staff, school districts should have a plan in place which addresses potentially violent students and prepares students and staff to respond effectively, should a crisis erupt in the building. In all cases, where violent students brought weapons to school and took the lives of others, clear warning signs had been present from the beginning. So, while we mourn the losses of the past, education professionals need to learn from these tragic events and work together to prevent such violence from happening in the future.