Each day, students choose to stay home from school to avoid being bullied. As a society, we should not allow victims of bullying to feel that they have to avoid school in order to be safe. Recently, members of the Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) at Northwestern High School (NHS) in Hyattsville, MD made plans to take their concerns regarding violence against students to law enforcement and elected county officials.

The PTSA members felt action needed to be taken to stop the violence and bullying occurring at their high school. They met with law enforcement and presented their concerns at county school board meetings. Even though Principal, Jerome Thomas, has taken action against students who commit violence on campus and in the community, he said the school needs more help from Prince George's County officials in order to curtail the incidences.

According to the PTSA members, Northwestern High School has struggled with a lack of security cameras in the stairwells, an inadequate number of security personnel, as well as gang activity within close proximity to the school. Gang activity often occurs in the fields behind the school bleachers. A fence previously separated the bleachers from the fields: however gangs tore the fence down. NHS' principal urged the school board to fund a new wrought-iron fence to keep students on campus and away from the bleacher area during school hours. The fence has yet to be funded.

What pressures do school boards face when deciding where to spend money? How can districts work with school boards to ensure safety concerns get funded? How can a school work with its parent/teacher association to raise funds for equipment that addresses safety concerns? 

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Source: RiverdalePark-UniversityParkPatch.com December 10, 2010

http://riverdalepark.patch.com/articles/northwestern-high-school-ptsa-to-challenge-county-on-school-safety