Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Nevada Board Discusses School Violence

A touchy subject was broached by the Nevada School Board during its regular meeting, Thursday, May 21.

Superintendent Rick McAffee opened the can of worms about school violence after a series of recent incidents involving students around the state and nation.

Nevada school, he said, has been fortunate as there have been no school shootings occur, but it is possible, McAffee added.

School violence, he told the board, is a national epidemic. The Nevada district has seven staff members who are certified counselors and, thereby, trained in how to deal with children with problems.

In addition, the district has a crisis management plan in place which would go into effect in case of an emergency. Area ministers, McAffee said, will help work with the student.

The Nevada campus is closed, thereby keeping students on the school grounds when school is in session. In addition, the way the facility is designed provides a great deal of visibility.

McAffee said he had spoken with a doctor Wednesday, who complained about seeing 105 patients that day. However, the doctor wasn't bothered by the number, but by the fact many of the patients came with more than physical ailments. Problems medical science isn't equipped to address.

A lot of students are victims of domestic abuse or violence. This, McAffee said, must be addressed by the teachers before the student can be taught.

"People don't understand what teachers go through in class. We are responsible for educating these children, helping build them into better citizens for society."

Schools, he continued, work to help instill moral guidance, but in many cases this is the only such help the students receive.

"As we close this year out, and look to the future, with 2005 as our planning zone," he said, "how do we propose to prepare to meet the needs of the students. We must do everything we can to reach out to the children and help them; then we can educate them."

He said children today need more positive reinforcement than they are getting, with the Nevada district doing what it can to give the students positive messages.

On the other side of the coin, however, every threat made is taken seriously. "Safety is our primary concern," McAffee said. "We're willing to take all measures needed to insure everyone's safety."

According to the legislators he's spoken with, nothing has been discussed in the area of school violence or security guards for schools for the next General Assembly. However, he added, this could change. "I feel some legislation will be introduced."

McAffee told the board he hated the idea of having to use metal detectors at Nevada, but it could be something needing to be done in the future.

Don Callicott said it's a copout to blame television, the movies and media for violence in schools today, or violence in general.

He said it's hard to know how to deal with a child who has to go home to a drunk, drug addict or abusive parent.

McAffee pointed out even negative attention is attention and children crave whatever attention they can get. "We need to modify children's behavior so they will only react to positive reinforcement," he said. "Then they can build self esteem and confidence."

He said school personnel need to find out about the home lives of their students, what's going on there. "There are things going on around here you wouldn't believe," he informed the panel.

"Each has to be dealt with on a case by case and individual basis. All the rules don't apply to every situation."

Callicott said prevention is all the district can do at this point when dealing with children capable of violence, though he voiced concern about each individual child.

Teachers in the school, McAffee said, have been taught what to watch for in dealing with a potentially violent student, and what to do if a situation should arise.

Weapons, he said, could be brought into the school, but all abnormal activity can also be checked out.

Recently, Capt. Ron Stovall, with the Arkansas State Police, spent three hours touring and studying the Nevada school. He was given a copy of the facility's layout, with a room-by-room breakdown.

This information could be invaluable should the unthinkable happen.

All school buses in the district are equipped with radios, so the drivers can report any problems.

The district is working to get profiles on students nationwide who have resorted to violence and murder. The plan is to use this to help learn what to look for and possibly how to prevent a potentially hazardous situation from occurring or getting out of hand.

In addition, the school has a lock down procedure in place. Should something happen, teachers have been instructed to lock their doors and turn out the lights. Students will be moved way from any visible line of fire.

If possible, the students would be moved to the district's tornado storm shelters. These, McAffee said, are virtually bulletproof.

But, he added, in a crisis situation, the district wants the students in their rooms with the doors locked, and not in the hallways.

Callicott said athletic events are another problem, but metal detectors are a deterrent.

McAffee said purchasing a metal detector could be addressed as the district concludes the current fiscal year and prepares a budget for the 1998-99 academic year.

Still, he said, with every threat and allegation taken seriously and investigated, everything is not heard by teachers and administrators.

The response time from law enforcement agencies, he added, is good, but Nevada is still a minimum of 20 minutes away for deputies and troopers, depending on where they are when called.

School violence, he continued, is leading to more and more students being removed from public schools and given home schooling. A problem in this area, though, is there are no regulations governing how or what a student is taught at home.

Students can be removed from school at any time, and parents don't have to give a reason.

But, the Nevada District, McAffee said, has worked hard on its crisis plan and it is something the district can be proud of.

In the meantime, though, the district will continue working to insure the safety of students, faculty and staff, as well as those who visit the school.