Michigan PBS Network: School Climate

Controversy Over 'Zero Tolerance' - Chris McCarthy had been looking forward to his junior year at Upper Moreland High School. Elected president of his class, McCarthy, 16, had been named to the National Honor Society. His extracurricular activities included the soccer team, the drama club, and the annual blood drive. Then, in November, a pocketknife put his high school career on hold - and placed him in the center of a growing controversy surrounding "zero-tolerance" policies.

Schools Working to Distinguish Misbehaving From Criminal Acts - The high-school senior thought he was just pulling a harmless prank when he mooned a bus from his car in the parking lot. But he wound up in court, facing a charge of open or gross lewdness. The legal action threatened his graduation, his college scholarships and his permanent record and could have forced him to register as a sex offender if convicted, a school official said.

L.E.A.N On Us: The Law Enforcement Awareness Network - It is the mission of L.E.A.N. On Us to provide first responders with information and resources that will allow them to better serve individuals within their communities affected by hidden disabilities and mental illness. The Law Enforcement Awareness Network is currently assisting in the development of training programs by identifying needed services. In doing so we feel we will be able to assist in fulfilling the need for such valuable training for First Responder Personnel within all of our communities.

The U.S. Department of Education in partnership with the U.S. Secret Service published Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates, which outlines research findings on student-instigated school violence. To access the guide and the final report, visit http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/resources.html or http://www.secretservice.gov/ntac.shtml or call 1-877-4ED-PUBS.

School Climate: Teachers’ Dirty Looks - Less Dramatic Than Paddling, But Emotional Abuse Still Hurts. Teachers may not realize the long-lasting effects of intimidating their students. Some students remember the humiliation decades later.

NY Suicidal Kid with Dyslexia Sues School - A dyslexic boy from Brooklyn and his mother plan to sue the city Department of Education because they claim the teen attempted suicide after school officials told him he was so dumb, he wouldn't graduate until he was 21.

bridges4kids Exclusive: Speaking Up - Every day parents and advocates of children with special needs reach out to each other and offer, through the magic of e-mail and Listservs, online information, advice, and support. Today "karatemom" told this story and we want to share it, in the hope that it will inspire others.

The Bridge to Civility: Empathy, Ethics and Service - Developing a social consciousness in the young means engaging them in meaningful activity.

Zero-tolerance Adds Up To Lots of Friction - While few question a school's right - and responsibility - to punish students who violate rules aimed at keeping schools free of drugs and weapons, some in Duxbury say overly harsh punishments have made zero tolerance a troubled approach that leaves too much power in the hands of school officials.

PA What constitutes a dangerous school? - Few schools fit definition, state education board says.

A+ for Empathy - The children in Amy Hamilton's fourth-grade class know exactly how their day at Mulready Elementary School in Hudson, Massachusetts, will begin. After they hang up their coats and backpacks, they know to put their homework on their desks. Then they read Mrs. Hamilton's message on the chalkboard, which can be anything from a comment about the weather to a question to ponder.

Second Step - This award-winning program for pre-K through grade 12 teaches social and emotional skills for violence prevention. The Second Step lessons are easy to teach, flow sequentially, and require minimal teacher preparation time. Integration activities tie the lessons into academic learning requirements—health, science, math, social studies, and language arts—helping teachers build on what they are already doing in the classroom.

MI State Releasing First School Safety Report

Secret Service Offers School Security Tips - Agents Tout Tactics Used to Protect VIPs.

Big Legal Victories For Gay Students And Teachers - In groundbreaking rulings, the courts have sent school boards a clear message: Do more to stop gay bashing or pay the price.

Anti-Crime Study Boosts After-School Programs

Deadly Lessons: School shooters tell why

CA County's tip line provides outlet for school concerns - Prevention of violence, teen suicide are missions; its anonymity, 24-hr availability boost its profile.

CA Three Districts Pay Damages In Gay-Rights Lawsuits

MI Families urge prevention of youth suicide - Vigil at Capitol honors those who have died.