#ArmMeWith…Proactive Approaches, Not Weapons

Noltemeyer, A. (Amity), Schwartz, T. (Tammy), Schultz, B. (Brian)

 

Submission type

Oral and Poster

Scheduled

Room 209, 11-07-2019, 09:00 - 10:30

Keywords

school safety, arming school staff, advocacy, school violence, systems change

Summary

 

Despite no empirical evidence demonstrating that arming school staff increases school safety, an increasing number of U.S. schools are contemplating and adopting the use of armed civilian staff. We contend that school psychologists and educators have a responsibility to understand and resist such solutions to school violence that are not empirically supported, have the potential to cause harm, and represent a metaphorical “band-aid” for a more complex problem. This workshop will (a) review trends and research on the use of armed civilian staff to address school violence, (b) highlight efforts advocating for alternatives to arming teachers, and introduce a framework for action planning for social change, and (c) introduce how curriculum can be used at both the pre-service and in-service level to shift the dialogue from reactive to proactive solutions, while create more authentic, relationally rich, and engaging learning environments. Attendees will engage in discussions and case study activities, and will leave the session with (a) a better understanding of the trends and research related to arming school staff, and (b) strategies for promoting empowerment and a sense of agency in their school communities.

Auteurs