Getting Help with Violence in New York City Schools

How do I keep my child safe at school?

Violence in schools is a major concern of many parents. While children are safer at school than any other place outside of the home, violence does happen. Bullying, gang involvement, and sexual harassment are some of the most common forms of violence in schools.  If your child is being victimized or threatened, you can call the school’s Parent Coordinator .  You can also ask to speak with the school safety officers to alert them to a problem.

Here are some steps that you can take to improve your child’s safety.

• Know what your child’s school is doing to create a safe environment. This way you can answer questions and or concerns as well as help your child separate fact from fiction.
• Learn to recognize warning signs. If your child is behaving in a way that is not typical to him or her, then find out what is wrong. These are the signals of potential problems.
• Know who to turn to when the warning signs appear. Find out how to access your school and community resources so that you can take control when a problem arises. Speak to your schools Parent Coordinator to find out who to talk to about safety.
• Develop a strong relationship with your child. Be understanding so that your child will feel comfortable coming to you with problems and/or concerns. Also, remember that children take their cues form their parents, especially when it comes o violence. Provide a good example.
• Learn to talk to your children about violence. Do not create fear. Instead, let them know that they are not in danger, but that it is everyone has a responsibility to make sure schools are safe. Let them know that it is o.k. to report violence or any other action that creates an unsafe environment. Most importantly, listen.