School violence in any form can happen at any age and any grade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Violence Fact Sheet reports that 30 percent of kids from sixth to 10th grade admit involvement in bullying. Violence can escalate to fatal incidents such as school shootings. Violence education can help families deal with today's situation and may aid in the prevention of violence.
Why Violence Occurs in Schools
KidsHealth.org notes in the article "Should You Worry About School Violence," that there is not one single reason for students acting violently in school. Some youngsters act out behavior they have witnessed at home or have seen in movies or video games. Some youngsters feel rejected or are relentlessly teased at school and lash out as a means to make it stop.
Warning signs
A child may give off warning signs before he reacts violently at school. In the article "Should You Worry About School Violence," experts at KidsHealth.org state that some of the signs may include students bragging about violent acts they would like to commit, playing with any type of weapon, participating in bullying of other students, being obsessed with violent media such as television or games and behaving cruelly or abusively toward animals.
Who is at risk?
The CDC's Youth Violence Fact Sheet notes that nothing can predict who is at risk for youth violence. However, there are some risk factors that can increase the chances a child will engage in a violent activity. If the child has a previous history of violence, it may be easier to repeat. Drugs and alcohol can influence a child negatively, causing him to react violently when he encounters problems. Violent friends can influence an otherwise nonviolent child to behave aggressively.
Communication
Judith A. Myers-Walls' article "Talking with Children When the Talking Gets Tough," stresses the importance of communication. Adults and children should feel able to openly talk about problems and violent situations. A parent should lead by example. One method of learning is by copying examples. If a parent shares their feelings when something bad happens instead of bottling it up, a child may be more inclined to react similarly. Creative ways can also be used to open the lines of communication, such as art, music or books.
Prevention
Some schools try to reduce chances of violence in schools by using metal detectors. In addition, the CDC's Youth Violence Fact Sheet says that some schools have programs specifically designed to help kids understand stressful issues such as bullying. Parents can teach their children how to solve problems in safe, healthy ways. There are also mentoring programs that group a child and adult. In this situation, the child has a positive role model to guide her.
