School Violence

            The spread of violence in schools in the United States is a matter of grave national concern. Specific crimes and discipline issues threaten the learning environment and badly effect the students, school employees and the public at large. Although legislation exists for the prevention of crime and violence in schools, like the safe and drug-free schools and communities act of 1994, however, the biggest problem in our schools is violence.
             What are the factors contributing to violence in schools? Drugs and firearms! No matter how good a faculty or a curriculum a school has, until and unless we provide a learning environment free of violence all quality improvement efforts go in vain. Appropriate and effective measures have to be taken to tackle this serious issue in order to achieve the objective of good learning for students. We know that majority of students have access to guns and other weapons. How they can afford to buy these weapons? Through drugs! The drugs business earn them money which they use to purchase the weapons. It has become more of a fashion nowadays to carry handguns and other weapons in and around the schools. It is not difficult for students to buy weapons. They can get them from thieves, or drug dealers or even from their friends. Dealing in drugs and carrying weapons, what role do we expect from the future architects of our nation?.
             Another serious development, a major contribution to which is the drug and arms culture, is the alarmingly increasing number of gangs in schools. The desire to be a part / member of a gang is increasing day by day, which has accelerated the spread of violence in schools. The issue of continuing and increasing violence in schools needs to be addressed so as to guarantee a safe and secure learning environment free from fear. The following research study gives an insight of the gravity of the problem with respect to the gangs role in school violence.