Following threats and shootings in Northern Colorado schools this spring, school safety continues to be an urgent topic in many communities. Sonali Rajan, a school violence prevention researcher and professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, joined KUNC host Nikole Robinson Carroll to talk about what works to reduce gun violence in schools.
“There's no one magic solution here,” Rajan said. “However, there is a combination of strategies that schools can employ that would contribute to a positive school climate and reductions in aggressive and violent behaviors and, by extension, likelihood for gun violence perpetration in schools.”
Rajan talked about school-based violence prevention and restorative justice programs in addition to traditional security strategies like lockdown drills, which she said can be effective when done with best practices in mind.
“So this means drills that are developmentally appropriate, that follow the guidelines put forth by the National Association for School Psychologists,” Rajan said. “It's not a solution, but it can be one part of an emergency preparedness protocol.”
Putting evidence-based laws into place can also reduce the risk of gun violence, Rajan explained. She cited policies such as minimum age to purchase requirements, waiting periods, red flag laws and safe storage.
“So, really engaging in some best practices there to ensure that we are coexisting safely—or at least safer—with the millions of firearms that are currently in circulation in the United States,” Rajan said. “We want to think about prevention at all levels when we are considering how to address a threat, if one emerges. But also, how do we attend to the needs of children years before they even consider picking up a firearm to hurt themselves or someone else?”
Rajan also spoke last week on a panel about school violence hosted by the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
