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HUONG TRAN NGUYEN
DISTINGUISI'IED TEACHER IN RESIDENCE
DEPARTMENT OF TEACHER EDUCATION
1250 BELLFLOWER BOULEVARD, ED2·269
LONG BEACH. CALIFORNIA 90840-2201
OffiCE 562/985'4536· DEPARTMENT FAX 562/985·5733
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PRESERVATION
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�THE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON SCHOOL SAFETY
PLANNING MEETING AGENDA
SEPTEMBER 1, 1998
I.
Conference program outline -- see attached program outline
Also, see draft one-pager attached·
II.
Breakout sessions wi Cabinet Members and others -.
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see attached outlines
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III. Satellite broadcasts -- non-conference content ~..
IV. Policy iss1:les planning update
V.
Annual Report on School Safety
- G-t (d'iV.)
announcements of policy
, grants _(Y)1;)<\ ~/ti (I ((,lis'
- r t ,)'\ A
c,Q.t!l.er dyliverables fY\-:nI
- ~L1.~~lI'l6'~~ -.
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- V'lwntYJ~ r(g[\J~)
Press and Communications issues -- Today show
. .: 1f\{Y\\l;:-,~\J\.i15nc~t{cLbJ.(f
,.:
VI. Selection of participants and guests -- (130)
*** Last day to sUbmit names is Saturday, September 5th. Each VlH Office
ha sC who will be their representative on
and D.OJlEd need to, advi ..
selectlOn sub-comnnttee. fucL~.J\CQJ
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-
.
VII. Meeting with representatives of communities recently impacted by
school violence
, ,<it ""
Meeting with NEAlAFT
VIII. Reception -- including other funding issues
PRESERVATION
PHOTOCOPY
�DR FT
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON SCHOOL SAFETY
OCTOBER 15,1998
"...{LJearning cannot occur unless our schools are safe and orderly places where
teachers can teach 'and children can learn. Wherever there is chaos where there should
be calm, wherever there is disorder where there should be discipline, make no mistake
about it, it's not just a threat to our classrooms..., it is a threat to the strength and
vitality ofAmerica.... We have to do more... I will host the first ever White House
Conference on School... to find new solutions to this profound challenge. "
-- President Clinton, July 20, 1998
White House Conference on School SafefJ?
. On October 15, 1998, the President will host the White HouseConferenceonSchool Safety; .
To mark this important day, the President will proclaim October 15, 1998 National School Safety Day.
, The Conference will be a day-long event in the East Room ofthe White House that includes workshops, .
a morning panel discussion, an important policy address by the President, participation by the Vice
President, First Lady and Mrs. Gore, and a listening and discussion session with participants that will
explore best practices and model school safety strategies. The Conference will be linked by satellite to
schools and communities across the country.
Although schools remain among the safest places for America's young people, even one incident
of violent crime in a school is too many. The Conference's goals include: building on the existing body
of knowledge about young people and aggressive or violent behavior; listening and learning from
students, parents, teachers, law enforcement and other experts about safety and discipline in schools;
sharing best practices and exploring new solutions; and developing strategies to put these safety models
in place in schools across the nation. The Conference will include each of the communities affected by
the recent wave of school shootings. The White House Conference on School Safety will work toward
finding solutions to this challenge: How do schools, families and communities work together to make
sure that every child is safe in every school in America.
.
The President Will Announce New Initiatives Promoting Discipline and SafefJ? in Schools
At the Conference the President will announce a number of new initiative to help schools and
communities prevent violence, reduce drug use, and promote order and discipline in schools. In
addition, the President will issue the first Annual Report on School Safety, which will include: an
analysis of all existing national school crime data and an overview of state and local school crime data;
examples of schools and strategies that are successfully reducing school violence, drug use, and class
disruption; actions that parents can take locally to combat school crime, including a local safety
checklist; and resources available to schools and communities to help create safe, disciplined; and drug
free schools.
�Conference Particivants
-
FT
The President, Vice President, First Lady, and Mrs. Gore will be joined by the Attorney General,
the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Members of Congress, a
number of state and local officials and approximately 100 other Conference participants. Participants
will include: students, parents, teachers, principals, school superintendents, members oflaw
enforcement, experts from the medical and psychological fields, clergy and religious leaders, and other
community representatives.
For More Information
Contact the White House Conference on School Safety at 202-456-6351.
�September 1, 1998
WORKING DRAFT
Proposed Program for White House Conference on School Safety
October 15,1998
Reaching Out: Safe &, Healthy Families, Safe & Healthy Children, Safe & Healthy
Communities Create Safe School Environments
Theme:
Registration
Four Welcoming and Morning Breakout Sessions with CSJbinet Members
1)
stemic Educational Approaches (ra ging from quality of education issues, such
as small class SIze, a_~quate screening for learning disabilities, etc. to traditional
discipline approaches such as school uniform policies and truancy prevention)
2)
Early Warning SignslMental Health Interventions/Crisis Response
. 3)
4)
Law Enforcement Partnership and Multi-Agency Community Approaches (will
also include discussion of gun policy)
Root CauseslEarly Childhood Development (will include discussion offamily
environments and parenting skills, early exposure to violence, etc.)
Morning Panel
3-4 minute :MTV-produced video featuring youth perspective
VP remarks
Presidential Remarks (prefaced by remarks from other principals, introduced by a youth
and an educator)
Panel (pOTUS;VPOTUS, Mrs. Clinton, Mrs. Gore)
Panelists would include (looking for twofers):
Expert #1
(quantifY problem)
(root causes)
Expert #2
Youth
Law enforcement Official
Parent
Juvenile Court Judge
�T eacher/PrincipaVSuperintendent
Mayor'or other local elected official
Clergy
Structure of session also provides for audience participation. Complete program is
downlinked by satellite to'(#tbd} cities. Uplink sites (SF)?
LUNCH
Featuring informal remarks by some comQJ~atwn ofVP, First Lady, Mrs. Gore,
AFTINEA leadership~CLt~lQ.Q9J~,(}UJ)
,
,
Focusing on what works, cabinet members would present brief summaries of morning
breakout sessions. First Lady will then lead conference participants in a wide-ranging ,
discussion focused on solutions.
Teleconference on Best Practice School Safety Strategies
Off-site conference participants would receive satellite transmission. Short videos
(approx. 8 min. ,each) will introduce two or three model school safety strategies that
amplify the first Annual Report on School Safety. Panel composed ofone or two expert
on each strategy will ansWer phoned-in questions andrespond to comments. ' First La
Reno or Riley could participate in some way tbd. Could take place concurrently with
afternoon panel or at time determined to be most convenient to off-site participants..
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�Breakout Session:
Education & Safety
While 90% of our schools do not experience serious violence issues, all teachers are confronted
with the need to maintain discipline and order in the classroom, and they are often the first-line
enforcers of school safety policies. This breakout group will focus on keeping schoos safe and
disciplined. The topics to be explored include:
•
Developing and implementing clear school discipline and safety standards and fair
enforcement policies.
Discussing safety issues openly
. Responsibilities of staff, students and parents in creating safe schools
School uniform, truancy and curfew policies
•
Effective means of reducing and/or dealin~with instances of weapons being brought into
1o~CQ..-. (hlAL. Ij
.
schools
•
Keeping students connected to a responsible adults
Need for guidance counselors, small classes, smaller schools, and mentors.
Creating mechanisms for students to express concerns
•
Safety and discipline are prerequisites for learning
Standards clearly communicated to students, schools and parents
Resources and programs to ensure expectations are met.
•
Developing links to the community
strengthening ties to families, support services, community police, and the faith
based community.
•
Involving families the school
Keeping families actively engaged and addressing barriers to participation.
-arc
in
�Early Warning SignsIMental Health Interventions/Crisis Response Break-out Session
Prepared by: Charles Simon, 514-3465
This break-out session will focus on three linked items:
1.
What to look for
early warning signs of violence
Are educators adequately equipped to identify early warning signs?
If not, how could they be trained better?
What steps can be taken to assure good communication between parents, teachers, and
possibly others when warning signs are identified?
How can educators build trust with children so that they will tell a responsible adult when
another child exhibits warning signs?
2.
What to do before -
.mental health interventions
3.
How widespread is the problem of inadequate 'mental health services?"
What can schools and communities do when services are inadequate?
Is there a federal role to imp~ve th~ ]2rovision of mental health services? '
Sb(~!"'I\<l..J-- funvl'tliA {dl (ldJ\i1\
,
.
What to do after - crisis response
Did the communities where the multiple school homicides took place have crisis response
plans?
Oidthose plans make a difference in the communities' response?
What does a model crisis response plan look like?
What is the federal role in crisis response?
�$
••
•
Leanne A. Shimabukuro
Record Tvpe:
To:
09/01/98 11 :41 :31 AM
,Record
Richard Socarides/WHO/EOP
cc:
Jose Cerda III/OPO/EOP
Subject: paragraph on breakout group
Break Out Session on School Partnerships with Law Enforcement
, The group would discuss the importance of involving local law enforcement in developing a
community response to creating safer schools. Some of the'topics could include: using
principles of community policing and problem-solving approaches to develop strategies to.
reduce crime and fear in schools;.hiring school resource officers to act asliaisons between:
local police departments' and schools;' enforcing anti-truancy measures and daytime curfews; "
bringing officers into the classroom through school-based anti-drug programs; and employing
school security measures, such as metal detectors and closed campus policies. There should be
some discussion of youth access.to firearms, and specifically zero tolerance ;Qolicies for guns in
schools. The group should also, highlight model partnerships with law enforcement, including
those in Charlotte, NC (student problem-solving) and Boston.
�Root Causes Panel
This panel would discuss the root causes of school violence by focusing on broader societal issues
. that increase the level of violence amongst children and youth, which is often manifested in acts of
violence in school. During this panel discussion, the conversation would touch upon such issues
as violence during early development (e.g., whether children who experience violence during their
early development - zero to three - themselves become more violent); the roleoffamilystructure
(e.g., whether the less time parents have with their children as well as the increasing rates of
single-parenthood affect rates of violence), the role of violence in the media, and the role of
strong communities in ensuring that children are safe (e.g., whether communities that experience
collective efficacy, defined as the degree to which adults will intervene in the lives of children, are
more safe). The panel may also discuss initiatives that have incorporated these concepts and have
proven to be effective in reducing juvenile crime and delinquency. This panel is likely to have
more experts in the vein of researchers and academics than the other panels.
�Richard Socarides
08/27/98 10:08:39 AM
F::;:;::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::;:;:::::::'::::::,:::.:::,:.:."
, ................................ :.,.:.;.;;:;:;:;:::;:;.::;.:;: :;:::;:::;::::::;:':.:-:,::"
Record Type:
To:
Record
See the distribution list at the bottom of this message
cc:
See the distribution list at the bottom of this message
Subject: School Safety Conference - Proposed Participant names due September 5th
See. below.
---------------------- Forwarded by Richard Socarides/WHO/EOP on 08/27/98
i 0:02 AM --------------------------
Charles H. Cole
08/21/9802:15:01 PM
Record Type:
To:
Record
See the distribution list at the bottom of this message·
cc:
.Marsha ScottlWHOfEOP
Subject: School Safety Conference
Please forward all inquiries about the School Safety Conference to Marsha Scott in Room 149. You
may also forward any phone calls to 456-6351. Names of potential participants must include an
address, phone number and fax. Without this information names will not be accepted. The
deadline for names is September 5th. Once we get the master list we will start meeting soon after
... the 5th. The following are suggested categories to be looking for representatives:
Advocacy Groups
Business
Religious Leaders and Heads of Religious Organizations
Congress
State and Local Elected Officials
Foundations
Local, State and National Law Enforcement Officials
Medical/Psychological Organizations
.'
Model Violence Prevention Programs
Interested National Organizations
Parents/Parent Groups
Researchers
Local, State School Officials
National School Organizations
Students
Victims.
Thanks,
Marsha Scott
�'DRAFT
NEA School Safety Committee
I
I. Topics and Issues to consider in p'lanning,the October 15 White House School Safety &
Discipline Conference
A. Message from the Conference needs to be focused and clear.
I. Safe Communities Make Safe Schools. Currently, schools are the safest place
children spend time. However, schools are becoming victims of an increasing
violent American society. (See Attachment A).
.' .
2. Collaboration and partnerships are essential to improve school safety.
Violence in communities spills over into schools. Long-term solutions must
address this reality by building strong community partnerships. Attached is a list of
possible collaborators for this c()nference, including organization names, contact
persons, and phone nwnbers. (see Attachment B)
3. Societal violence will continue to effect school safety negatively until we
adequately address the larger issues influencing children towards violent
behavior, such as:
a) Children's exposure to continuous. violence in the media
b) Availability of fire arms to children
.
4. Emphasize concrete steps schools could take, including suggestions that
schools could immediately implement. For example:
a) Establishing school dress code policies that prohibit wearing clothing with
offensive labels or gang-related insignia.
,
b) Instituting Violence Prevention Plans in Schools including behavioral
contracts between student, parents, and the school outlining behavioral
expectations and consequences. Plans must including training for teachers as
well as educational support staff (Le., bus drivers; cafeteria workers). (see
Attachment C)
.
c) Providing adequate and appropriate school staff and facilities, incltIding: '
(1) mental health/counselor/nursing staff available to address the increasing
problems students bring to school;
(2) lower teacher-pupil ratio in regular education classes combined with safe
and well-equipped school buildings;
(3) and alternative educational setting with skilled staff for students not able
to function in regular education settings.
�5. ,Before and after school supervision programs. Adult supervision plays a key
role in student safety., Most violent acts committed by children and youth are
committed dilringhours after school and before dinner. Communities must create
safe havens that provide,positive activities, thereby helping students avoid unsafe
situations.
II. Background
A. Media coverage of recent violent incidents in school settings has alarmed the nation,
leading to the perception that there is a significant increase in violence in American
schools. Citizens/parents/school staff view the media coverage and feel increasingly
powerless.
'
B. Childr~n do not learn violence in schools. Children learn violenCe from their families, "
the community, society, and ever-increasing violent messages and images through
media exposure. In order to have safe schools, we must also have safe communities.
C. Violence in school settings is'difficult to address because it mirrors larger societal
problems. While statistics show that there has not been an increase in school violence
in the past few years, the public's perceptions and fears must be acknowledged, '
particularly the increase of violent acts by young children against their peers. As these
issues are addressed we must reemphasize the relationship between acts of violence in
schools and violence in the larger community.
'
D. Reactionary legislative proposals have taken advantage of the media's attention to
, violence in school settings (i.e., voucher proposals for students experiencing scary
situations; arming teachers; death penalty for 11 year olds, etc.)
III. Policy Issues
A. The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Act needs to continue, with emphasis on new program
elements designed to combat and prevent serious school crime, violence and discipline
problems.
B. Strong fire arms legislation is needed, such as the Children's Gun Violen,ce and
Prevention Act.
'
C. Comprehensive state legislation addressing school safety is needed; several states have
such language. The NEAlAFT Joint Council Will rele~e a legislative analysis report
within the next two months. The report will assist in the development'of sound
legislation to address safety issues and provide criteria for states to follow.
D. Strong policies are needed to address children's access to violence through the internet
and through television.
�E. The Public Schools Modernization Act i~ needed to create positive and safe learning
environments for all students
IV. Questions
A. When will the President's First Annual report on school safety be available?
B. Does the White House have other plans following this conference?
V. Following the conference it might be helpful to consider establishing a mechanism to
facilitate information exchange:
A. Establishing of an Information Repository (i.e., 1-800 number to call for model
program infonnation).
B. A yearly inter-departmental release siinilarto the "Early Warning, Timely Response"
document.
C. A white paper highlighting information/model programs.
D. A video with similar information.
'
PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPY
.....
�.;,
j
White House Strategy Session on
Children, Violence, and Responsibility
Proposed Participants By Category
GROUP
WHLEAD
NUMBER OF PROPOSED PARTICIPANTS
15-18
Movies, Broadcasting,
Internet
TI:
David Beier
Minyon Moore
'
CBS (also the biggest radio owner)- Mel Karmazin, CEO
ABC- Bob Iger, CEO
--} NBC- Robert Wright, CEO,
Fox- Rupert Murdoch, CEO
i»JJt\,QJh:AJe,
----[:illET- Robert Johnson, CEO
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-MTV- Jmiy Mc6~esHieut
~
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*
Entertaiment Industry (MovieslMusic):
Time Wamer- Gerald Levin, CEO
-1f Seagrams- Edgar Bronfman, CEO U11VUJal/MCfl,
"
, '[So~ Sony (Pictures) Bob Wynne Co-President and C.O.O, Sony Music, Tommy Mottola
Howard S~r, President Sony USA'
Viacom- Sumner Redstone, CEO BI()t:J)bv{fe('I
,
" Disney- Michael ~r, CEO
Dreamworks- David Geffen, Steven Spielberg, 'and Jeffrey Katzenberg
Internet:
AOL- Steve Case, CEO
Yahoo- Jerry Yaug, CEO
Microsoft- Bill Gates, CEO
AT+T - Michael Armstrong, CEO fj1 ~/Cc(.~
CNET- Halsey Minor, CEO
Multimedia: '
Washington Post- Don Graham, or Alan Spoon (TV stations)
,Gannett- John Curly, CEO
�"
Trade Associations:
MPAA- Jack Valenti, President
RIAA.. Hilary Rosen, P~esident
NAB- Edward Fritts, President
NCTA- Decker Anstrom, President
. Ir{rrAc~,;,e, b1'9 I tr.&
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Video Games
.
2
David Beier'
"'"
1~1(j Sony- Sony Computer Ent., Kazuo Hirai
P(~ Sega
Music Industry
2-4
Richard Socarides
(]Electra Records- Sylvia Rhone, President
1
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/{
BMG Mus'ic- Strauss Zelnick, President
:::::::
;;;;;;;..
Education Groups
~icia:
4
Mary Beth Cahill
Harvey- Superintendent, St Paul Public Schools
Derek Okubo (community person) -Director of National Civic League's Community Assistance
Team. He is a Japanese American who grew up and went to school in Littleton. He has
delivered extensive technical assistance for local and state governments, school districts, and
communities in areas that include long-range planning, economic development, conflict
resolution, apprenticeshis, diverstity, collaborative problem solving, consensus building, and
substance abuse prevention.
,Isela Arras Tomes and Rusti Hisle (Americorps members ages 23 and 24)-Kentucky State
'.' University Americorps members who are raising awareness about Littleton.
!Ben Smilowitz (student age 18)- Senior, Hall High School, West Hartford, CT
.
,
'International Student Activism Alliance
.
I
\
Pam Gabbard (counselor)- Elementary school counselor and member of the Kentucky Crisis
Response Team in Paducah.
Jan Gallagher (counselor)- Former school counselor and Superisor of Counseling for Harlan
Dale Independent School District in San Antonio. She wrote a crisis response plan based on her
experiences in a district plagued by violence.
Jill Eaton (principal)- Current President of the National Association of Secondary Principals.
She has written about violence in schools for other principals.
/'
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&»-- rnuA:b1' uJ.twI~ .
, ~'DlArUd-
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YAmoId Fege- Formerly with Commtmity Media Education currently with Public Education
/ \ NetWork.. He is an education/children's advocate who is an expert on violence in the media.
Roxanne Spillett- President, Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Susan Bales- Benton Foundation. Does "Connect for Kids" which connects adults with
information and resources to help kids and has a history of work against violence.
Sandra Feldman, AFT
Bob Chase, NEA
Parents Groups,
Advocates for Children
2-4
Neera Tanden
Ginny Markill -President.:Elect of the Parents':'Teacher Association
Pam Eakes- Mothers Against Violence
Youth
2
Kris Balderston
Karin Kullman
Tajae Gaynor- 19 year-old Bronx resident, has been involved in conflict resolutio!l as a peer
mediator since the seventh grade. Has personal experience with youth conflict (his friend was
killed in a fight in 1997).
..Del~ht
Young- A senior in high school from the Bronx, she is a youth leader, trainer, and leader
in conflict resolution. She a troubled history of her own, often getting in fights, but now works
with kids in her own neighborhood, discouraging'them from joining gangs.
Josue Rivera- 22 year-old Bronx Community College senior. Has worked as a peer mediator
since he was 16 with both children and adults.
Religious Leaders
3
Maureen Shea
Rabbi Marvin Hier, Dean, Simon Wiesenthal Center
Rabbi Hier is the head of the SWCand their Museum of Tolerance, an interactive museum that is
used primarily to educate children and teens about past examples of intolera.rlce and thy
dangerous results. In a special exhibit designed immediately after the LA riots, the children are
encouraged to fmd non-violent ways to express themselves. The museum continues to be
updated with.current issues and the centersponsors programs and sessions to address issues of
intolerance and conflict resolution.
�·
Dr. Prema Mathai-Davis, CEO, YWCA of USA
--The Y has many relevant programs in their sites nationwide, Including .them would also give us
~ a woman's organization.and she is a woman of color as well.
/j\
Rev s r. Thomas McDade, Secret
for Education, US Catholic Conference
'Ie there is sensitivity about Catholic schools/vouchers, the fact is that they are pl:oviding
essential education in urban areas. Ifwe are looking to put together a coordinated campaign in
..
communities, they have needed expertise and commitment.
Elder Jose Rojas, Director of the Department of Youth Ministries, Seventh-day Adventist Church
In addition to being an activist church involved with local police and school agencies in
gang intervention efforts, they also have tutoring sites across the country and family
organizations linked to large networks across the country to assist families in
the needior greater communication between parents and children. Rojas has been a pastor in
inner city churches and his brother was slain in an act of gang violence.
.
AbrahamFoxman Ab~
The ADL has been a leading civil rights organization and promoters of inter-group tolerance for
some time. Their specialty is in mointoring and preventing acts of hate or intolerance around the
world. Domestically they work closely with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to
promote diversity training and they work with educators to spread similar lessons to the
classroom.
Fire; Arm Manufacturers,
Gun Control Advocates
2-4
Law Enforcement
1-2
Jose Cerda
fVab\00o.i Q\~t; ~
Charlton Heston- President, National Rifle Association
Tom Deeb, President- Hi-Point Firearms (manufacturer ofthe 9mm carbine rifle used in Littleton
S ~ ~lJJ~Gr)
shooting), MKS Supply, Inc.
--t»Sarah Brady- Handgun Control, Inc. (HCI)
Jose C~rda
../Gil Gallegos- National President, Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and Deputy Chief
Albuquerque Police Department
\// Ron Neubauer- National President, International Association of Chiefs of Police (lACP) and St.
Peters 1
:..MO Chief of Police
Pi> f),.(J~
Mental Health Experts
1-2
Marsha Scott
Dellbert Elliott, Ph.D.--Leading author and leader in field of youth violence prevention.
Co-author of Violence in American Schools--A New Perspective. '
David Hawkins, Ph.D.--Published extensively in helping communities assess needs for violence
prevention, and tailoring interventions to match needs. Expert on risk and protectiv~ factors.
�'.
.'
Hope Hill, Ph.D.~-African-American psychologist at Howard. Extensive research and writing in
the area of youth violence. Expert inethnic and cultural factors in youth violence ..
David Olds, Ph.D.-- Has conducted research demonstrating the efficacy of providing very early
intervention (e.g., home visiting by nurses in the pre-natal period) in reducing youth violence.
Kenneth Dodge, Ph.D.--Researcher on Fast Track (a program which provides a comprehensive
array of services for children at risk for viol~nce)
rI+\1 C.arl Bell, M.D.-~African-American psychiatrist working in Chicago in t~e trenches in the
"-L)I VIOlence preventIOn area
.
.'
.
.
Deborah Prothiow~Stith, M.D.--Dean of Harvard School ofPublic Health. Long standing
advocate for understanding youth violence from a public health perspective. Husband is current·
U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania. - Harvard School of Public HealthBeatrice Hamburg, M.D.--Psychiatrist and co-author of Violence in American Schools--A New
Perspective.
Mark Greenburg, Ph.D.--Psychologist at University of Pennsylvania specializing in prevention of
mental disorders and early identification of potential violent developmental trajectories.
---
Robert Pynoos, M.D.--Psychiatrist and pediatrician from UCLA. Leading expert on treating
children who have been the victims of large scale' violence. Has serves as a consultant to Mrs.
Clinton in school shootings in the past. On site experience following several of the recent school
shootings.
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, Howard Spivak, MD, Past President, AAP
Marjorie Hogan, M.D., Miriam Bar-on, M.D., Victor Strasburger, M.D.
Local Elected Officials
4
Lynn Cutler
Fred Duval
Hon. Thomas A. Menino, Mayor, Boston, MA
Boston has experienced an significant decrease in the past 2 years in youth gang violence as a
result of Operation Cease Fire. Working in partnership with educators, clergy and community
leaders, Boston gas been a model for other cities.
Hon. Patricia Holloway, Chair, Jefferson·County Bd of Commissioners (CO)
Given the recent tragic events of Columbine High School, Ms. Holloway can provide a very
recent picture of the signs of troubled youth in our mists.
Hon. Sharon Sayles Belton, Mayor, Minneapolis, MN
Leader in the USCM School Violence Summit. City has innovative programs that focus on
youth viol~nce in schools.
�"
Hon. Hardy Meyers, St. Attorney General (OR)
.
Mr. Meyers has served as the state's Attorney General since 1997. He has served as the Chair of
Oregon Jail Project from 1984-86 (appointed by Association of Oregon Counties). He was also
the Chairman of the Oregon Criminal Justice Council and a member of the State Sentencing
Guidelines Board from 1987-91.
B list
Hon. H. Brent Coles, Mayor, Boise, Idaho
Mayor Coles if the Chair of the USCM Advisory Board on School Violence and Kids. In
September 1998 the Advisory Board held a National Summit on School Violence and Kids and
looked at best practices around the county. As a result ofthe summit a National Action Plan has
been releaseq.
Ron. Alexander Penelas, Mayor, Miami-Dade County, FL
Sponsors several nationally recognized programs to reduce youth violence, DARE, Youth
CrimeWatch, Join a Teen Not a Gang, Police Athletic League and School Resource Program.
Mayor is suing the gun lobby. At least one on the guns in the Columbine shooting was
manufactured in Miami. The mayor has filed a suit against the gun manufacturers.
Hon. Glenda Robertson, Mayor, Eastover, S.C.
Mayor Robertson is a leader within the African American community and represents a typical
southern community that deals with youth crime issues in a mral setting.
Hon. Claire Schulman - President, Borough of Queens, NY
As Borough President Ms. Schulman has initiated programs that have resulted in a reduction in
youth crime in a urban school system. All the schools in NY have increased their school security
to include metal detectors, which has decreased school violence .
. Hon. Ktm Salazar, State Attorney General (CO)
Ken has been a farmer, natural resources lawyer, and small business owner in Colorado. He has
served as chieflegal counsel to the Governor, executive director of the Department of Natural
Resources, and chairman of the Rio Grande Compact Commission. Ken has served on many
. boards and commis.sions including the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Local
Government Mineral Impact Fund Advisory Committee, the State Board of Equalization, and
selection committees for Denver District Attorney, United States Attorney, and
Federal District Court judges in Colorado, He has been active in bar association activities and
has served as second vice-president of the Denver Bar Association.
Cabinet Officials
@
Janet Reno
Richard Riley
Donna Shalala
Barry McCaffrey
.
--34
.'
Kris Balderston
�Bob Rubin
Co~gressional
Leadership
4
Janet Murguia
3-5
Richard Socarides
TBD
Miscellaneous
Rea Carey- Executive Director, National Youth Advocacy Coalition .
LDJ
David D. Glass- President and Chief Executive Offi er, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. -. VC} YllJl.\
Drew Altman- Kaiser Foundation ~ C
..
�05/0al1:l~
r.t1.Lr
.L.L; .. 0
'J
Names from Bill Modzeleski, Safe and Drug Free Schools Program and
Ricki Seidman, Department ofJustice . . .
.
Educators
Jane Hammond, Superintendent, Jefferson County Schools
Jamon Kent, Superintendent, Springfield Public Schools
Tom Payzant, Superintendent> Boston City Schools, former Asst Sec'y for Elementary
and SecondaIy EdUcation
.
Jeffrey Miller, Principal, Holmes Braddock High SchoolMiami, Florida
Howard Lapin, Principal. Fosbay Learning Center. Los Angeles
Gle:anis Powell. Principal, Elliott Junior HighSchool, Washington, DC (African
American)
.
(Use a Teacher of the Year over the past S years who fits demographic need)
Parent Groups
PTA
Youth Groups
Executive Director of a Boys &. Girls Clubs from a suburban or urban area (we'll find
sOttleone if you want to pursue this)
Colin Powell- active in Boys & Girls Clubs; America's Promise
Religious Leaders
Rev. Eugene Rivers, Ten Point Coalition, Boston, Massachusetts (African American.)
Rev. Joan Campbell, National Council ofCllurches
Mental Health/School Counselors
Marlene Wong, Director of Mental Health SeIVices and Crisis Response, Los Angeles
County School (Asian American)
Steve Mara:n.s. Yale ,Child Studies Center
Law Enforcement
Wesley Mitchell. Chief, Los Angeles County Schools Police, President. NOBLE (African
American)
Ernestine Gray. Juvenile Court Judge, New Orleans. Louisiana (African American)
(Oil Garcetti. Los Angeles County D.A. has called requesting to be invited)
�U5/ua/~~
.I..I.;;::lt
rD.... r
Other:.
James Garbarino, Author. LOST BOYS, teaeheS at ComellUniversity
James Comer. Yale Child Studies Center - works on early childhood issues, community
organization (African American)
Andrew Vacbss - author, has worked in juvenile court, looks at abuse issue
Jon Katz - Internet" culture expert
Judy McGrath, President, M1V
(
�,
•
..
White House Conference on School Safety':.~
Causes and Prevention of Youth Violence
October 15, 1998 -- Program Agenda
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Registration - White House Conference Center
8:30 am - 9:45 am
Morning Workshop Sessions - White House Conference Center
Preliminary discussion groups with Senior Administration
officials:
1) Education and Safety (Truman Room)
Chaired by Secretary ofEducation Richard Riley with Deputy
Attorney General Eric H Holder, Jr.
2) Early Warning Signs, Mental Health Interventions and Crisis
Response (Jackson Room)
Chaired by Assistant Secretary for Planning & Evaluation
Margaret Ann Hamburg, MD, Us. Department ofHealth and
Human Services
3) School, Community and Law Enforcement Partnerships
(Lincoln Room)
Chaired by Associate Attorney General Raymond C. Fisher with
Under Secretary for Enforcement James E. Johnson,
Department ofthe Treasury
u.s.
4) Causes of Youth Violence in Early' Childhood Development
(Eisenhower Room)
Chaired by Attorney General Janet Reno with Assistant Secretary
For Elementary & Secondary Education Gerald Tirozzi, Us.
Department ofEducation
After tltese sessions, please follow directions to tlte East Visitor
Gate oftlte White House for the Morning Plenary Session
�[§f£:lWPD
10:30 am - 11 :30 pm .
Session I - White House East Room
Discussion of the Causes of Youth Violence
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Video byMTV
Attorney General Janet Reno
Secretary of Education Richard Riley
Suzann Wilson, Jonesboro, AR
Marlene Wong, Director, L.A. School of Mental Health,
Valley Branch, CA
Paul Kingery, Ph.D., Director, H~milton Fish National Institute
on School and Community Violence, Rosslyn, VA
Lunch - White House State Dinning Room
11 :30 pm - 12:30 pm
. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Representative Carolyn McCarthy
Robert Chase, President of the National Education Association
Sandra Feldman, President of the American Federation of Teachers
12:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Session II - White House East Room
Remarks by the President and Discussion of Prevention Strategies
That Address Youth Violence
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Vice President of the United States Al Gore
President of the United States William Jefferson Clinton
Jamon Kent, Public Schools Superintendent, Springfield, OR
Paul Evans, Commissioner, Boston Police Department,
Boston, MA
Liberty Franklin, Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year,
Everett, WA
Joanna Quintana Barroso, Teacher, Coral Way Elementary School,
Miami, FL
Tony Earles, Professor, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Mayor Deedee Corradini, Salt Lake City, UT
Representative Bobby Etheridge
�2:45 pm - 4:00 pm
Session III - White House East Room
Discussion of Programs that Work to Reduce Youth
Violence
/
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Attorney General Janet Reno
Secretary of Education Richard Riley
)
Lynn McDonald, Ph.D., Founder, Families and Schools Together
(FAST), Madison, WI
Irma Howard, FAST Graduate, New Orleans, LA
Mariana R. Gaston, Director, Resolving Conflict Creatively
Program, New York, NY
Thomas C. Frazier, Police Commissioner, Baltimore Police
Department, Baltimore, MD
Sandy McBrayer, E:cecutive Director, Children's Initiative, San
Diego, CA
Lt. Gary French, Boston's Operation Ceasefire, Roslindale, MA
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Reception - Sponsored by the National Education Association and
the American Federation of Teachers at 1201 16th Street; NW,
Washington, DC 20036
(buses located at the East Visitor Gate on East Executive A venue
beginning at 4:00 p.m. will take you to the NEA. NEA is providing
buses to bring people back to the White House.)
.
�PRESIDENTIAL PANEL SEQUENCE
[From the Podium]
- The Vice President makes remarks, introduces the President, and takes a seat at the table.
- The President makes remarks and then takes a seat at the table.
- The President moderates the discussion by calling on each individual to share their
experiences. After each statement: the President, the Vice President, and the First Lady
will be free to ask follow up questions.
[All panelists and the First Lady will be seated at the table during the opening remarks.]
Jamon Kent, Superintendent of Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, Oregon
Superintendent Kent has also served as a teacher and principal throughout his 26 years in
education. He lead the community-wide effort to promote ~chool safety that has been ongoing
since before the shooting occurred, which includes creating alternative programs for at-risk
students and turn-around programs for students in adjudication or who have been expelled.
POTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: Wlten ['visited your community after the shooting
everyone tit ere was struggling to cope with this terrible tragedy. There was so much
that needed to be done, which is one ofthe reasons why I am proposing a federal
response SER VE team to help communities in a time ofcrisis. Do you feel tltis type of
federal action would Itave Itelped your community?
FLOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: How did you forge partnerships with tlte
surrounding community before this tragedy? How did these partnerships allow you to
better cope with this crisis?
VPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: Can you tell us about Itow the mental health
community played a role in helping the community heal during this terrible tragedy?
And how did you reestablish a feeling ofsafety and security for students when they
returned to school this fall?
Police Commissioner Paul Evans, Boston, Massachusetts
Commissioner Evans led Boston's innovative Operation Ceasefire, which has dramatically
reduced youth violence through a comprehensive community approach.
POTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: You have. incorporated the principles of
community policing to the greatest extent possible. How have police officers adjusted
to t/~eir role in crime prevention?
VPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: I know the faith commUl;ity is also very
involved in your efforts to reduce juvenile crime. How has the faith community
worked with you to provide positive opportunities for at-risk youth while also holding
them accountable for their actions?
I
FLOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: Initially, did different parts ofthe community
resist working together? How did you manage to develop these unique bonds in your
community and what suggestion do you havefor other cities?
\
�r
Liberty Franklin, National Boys and Girls Club Youth ofthe Year, Everett, Washington
She turned to the Boys and Girls Club to give her a safe haven where she could learn arid grow.
She was raised by a single mother in a housing project with older brothers who were in and out
ofjail. When she joined the Boys and Girls Club in the sixth grade she began to have an adult
mentor who helped her succeed in school ~d stay out of trouble. She is now a high school senior
with a 3.95 GPA working at Washington Mutual Bank to save money for college. She is
interested in becoming an Orthodontist and providing free care to low-income children.
POTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: You see up close the issues confronting your
'peers. What more do you think adults should do to help young people?
.
f
FLOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: How specifically hasmentoring helped you and
are you mentoring others now?
VPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: President Clinton and I have fought hard to
provide children witl,'positive opportullities in the hours after school when most
juvenile crime occurs. Do you think that most young people in your commullity want
some place to go after school? Do you notice a difference in what happens to young
people with access to after school programs alld those without?
Joanna Quintana Barroso, 3rd Grade Teacher, Coral Way Elementary, Miami, Florida
Joanna will speak about the successful anti-crime efforts at her school including school uniforms,
gun safety curriculum, DARE officers, and alternative classes for at-risk youth. She will talk
about the importance of reducing class size in order to identify troubled youth and for students to
learn well. She will also talk about the business efforts to encourage students to work hard
including Pizza Hut reader of the week awards which entitle students to a free meal and helps to
promote hard work.
VPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: The President has fought hard to reduce the size
ofclasses nationwide to an average of 18. I understand your classes have over 30
students in them. How do you th~nk smaller classes would benefit your students?
FLOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: Who do you find your studen!s are most
influenced by? Parents? Teachers? Media?
Thelton "Tony" Earles
Professor, Harvard School of Public Health
Conducted research on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods which found that
neighborhood cohesiveness and responsible adult interaction with children reduces juvenile
crime and delinquency.
POTUS SUGGESTED OUESTION: You have made a strong a strong case for the
importance ofadults takillg responsibility to promote positive values in their
community. What do you think the government and other public figures in this
country can do to encourage parents alld other adults to become more illvolved ill the
lives ofchildrell?
FLOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: What does your research show about
commullity illvolvemellt ill the schools and did youfind that childrelllearn more in
Pa e 2
�[SC"89.o L. SC R -
..
schools where there is active parental involvement?
Mayor Deedee Corradini, President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, St. Lake City, Utah
Mayor Corradini will present the U.S. Conference of Mayors' ACtion Plan, compiled at the
recent Mayors Conference.on School Safety in St. Lake City, which describes the unique role of
cities iq. preventing youth violence.
POTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: I understand that you invited police chiefs to
your conference to help contribute to the Mayors Action Plan. What role can mayors
play in bringing together law enforcemel1t and the education community ..
VPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: Through our community empowerment
strategy, President Clinton and I have found that deferral and local governments can
develop dynamic partnerships to assist distressed communities. Mayor Corradini, how
can the federal government develop this same type ofpartnership with cities to address .
youth violence?
Representative Bobby Etheridge, North Carolina
Rep. Etheridge was elected to the Congress in 1996 upon completing his second term as
Superintendent of Public Instruction in North Carolina, a position he had held since 1988. He has
two children who are teachers. He lead the effort to bring School Resource Officers to the
majority of his schools and to build character education.
POTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: Can you explain to us exactly how character
education works, and how did you arrive at this concept? What can we do on a
national level to encourage more schools to incorporate character education
initiatives?
VPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: How did the education community react when
you suggested bringing School Resources Officers into schools?
�The White House Conference on School Safety
October 15, 1998
Questions and Answers (Internal)
GENERAL CONFERENCE QUESTIONS
Question:
Why are you hosting a White House Conference on School Safety?
Answer:
Although schools are among the safest places for America's young people, we know
that violent crime continues to plague a number of our schools. The recent school
shooting tragedies are a stark reminder ofthis. We know that the problems children
face in school often reflect the problems of their communities: drugs, gangs, and guns.
Fortunately, we also know a lot about the causes of youth violence and school violence,
as well as what works to prevent it. The President is convening the White House
Conference on School Safety so that we can share with people around the country the
wealth of information we have. Well over 600 satellite sites will be participating in this
Conference; they will listen to, and learn from, students, parents, teachers, law
enforcement and other experts about why school violence happens and what works to
prevent it.
Question:
What is happening at the Conference?
Answer:
The White House Conference on School Safety will work toward finding solutions to
this challenge: How do schools, families and communities work together to make sure
that every child is safe in every school and community in America? The President, Vice
President and First La9Y will explore solutions to this challenge with the Attorney
General, the Secretary of Education, elected officials, students, parents, teachers, law
enforcement and other experts.
/
The day-long event in the East Room ofthe White House includes morning workshops
and panel discussions. The opening panel will set-up the day by examining the problem
and the causes of school and youth violence. The second panel will tum towards
solutions, with the President making a number of policy announcements. The third and
final panel will explore best practices and model safety strategies that have been shown
to reduce school and youth violence.
.
Question:
What has the President done on the issue of school safety?
Answer:
Throughout his Presidency, President Clinton has worked to strengthen America's
schools, communities and families, by giving Americans the tools they need to fulfill
their responsibilities and giving children the ability to reach their full potential in a safe
and healthy environment. To that end, President Clinton and this Administration have
worked to promote school safety, prevent youth violence and encourage learning. The
�President is working to make our schools safer and drug-free with programs like
School-Based Partnerships which helps to forge or strengthen partnerships between
local law enforcement and schools to focus on school crime, drug use and discipline
problem or the zero tolerance for guns in schools policy which requires the expulsion of
students. for bringing firearms to schools. Last month, the President released the Early
Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools. This guide provides schools and
communities with information on how to identify the early warning signs and take
action steps to prevent and respond to school violence. And the President's
comprehensive Anti-Gang and Youth.yiolence Strategy is a full-scale assault on
juvenile crime in America. These are just a few examples.
Question:
Are America's schools unsafe?
Answer:
America's schools are quite safe. While we need to work to make them safer, we know
tliat for the most part our schools are safer than the communities in which they are
located. Data from the Annual Report on School Safety indicates that 43 percent of
schools reported NO incidents of crime, and 90 percent of schools reported NO
incidents of serious violent crime.
But even though school are generally safe, no school or community is immune from
senseless violence, as last school year's tragedies reminded us. And although students
are safer sitting in a classroom than walking down the street, serious crime problems
persist, gang presence in schools doubled between 1989 and 1995, thousands of kids
bring guns to school, and discipline remains the #1 problem in the classroom. We will
be addressing these issues in the Conference.
Question:
Answer:
If America's schools are, for the most part, so safe, why did these recent tragedies
occur?
The recent tragedies in Pearl, Paducah, Jonesboro, Springfield, Oregon are extremely
rare (less than one percent ofhornic'J.'des among this age group occurs in a school
setting). Nevertheless, they are tnily tragic incidents that we hope never happen again.
We may never understand why a young man would walk into a school and shoot his
fellow students and teachers -- perhaps because of media influences, availability of
guns, insufficient mental health counseling. While we need to better understand why
. these incidents occurred, it is more important that we ensure they don't happen again.
Much of what is happening at this conference will help schools and communities in that
regard.
responsibili~y
is it to create safer schools and communities?
Question:
Whose
Answer:
We cannot make schools tndy safe unless we make the communities -- of which those
schools are a part -- safe as well. And we cannot make schools and communities safe
unless students, parents, teachers, law enforcement, government agencies, businesses
�and elected officials join together to develop community-wide and comprehensive
responses to the unique issues that face every school and community. Fundamentally,
creating safe schools and communities is a local issue; but we at the Federal level stand
r«ady to offer our assistance and partnership.
Question:
How did you select these individuals who are panelists?
Answer:
We received many recommendations and worked to make sure that the panels rep'resent
a good cross-section of America, as well as perspectives from individuals who have a
lot of firsthand experience with school safety and youth violence in general. The
panelists include noted experts in their fields, participants from communities affected by
the recent school shootings, a student, educators and other stakeholders. We are looking
forward to thoughtful discussions which focus not only on the problems and challenges
with respect to school safety -- but primarily on the solutions.
Question:
The panels do not appear to be very bipartisan. Why not?
Answer:
School and youth safety aren't partisan issues. Our panelists are a good cross-section of
America -- actually, of the 16 or so panelists (excluding principals), only two are elected
officials, one is a member of Congress and the other is a mayor. And this
Administration encourages participation from both sides ofthe aisle on these important
Issues.
Question:
What is the First Lady's role at this Conference? Why is the First Lady playing
such a large role in this conference? What does she know about this issue?' .
Answer:
The First Lady will chair the opening panel which will set-up the day by examining the
problem and the causes of school and youth violence and she will participate in the
second panel which will tum towards solutions .. Lastly, the First Lady will chair the
third and final panel which will explore best practices and model safety strategies that
have been shown to reduce school and youth violence.
Throughout her career, the First Lady has worked on issues affecting children and
families. And one of the very first projects she worked on as a young attorney at the
Children's Defense Fund25 years ago was a study of what happens to juveniles
incarcerated with adults. 'She found that, children placed in adult prisons experience
unspeakable horrors, and in fact, as ~ result of this research, Congress acted in 1974 to
separate juveniles from a'dults in prison. Since then Mrs. Clinton has worked on a
number of initiatives, including home visitation, mentoring programs, and early
education programs, that reduce juvenile delinquency, crime rates, teen birth rates, and .
other signs that children are at risk.
Question:
What is the purpose of the morning breakout sessions? Who is parti~ipating in
�these sessions?
Answer:
The morning break-out sessions are critical opportunities for the Conference's
participants to brainstonn, to share ideas with Attorney General Reno, Education
Secretary Riley, other senior members of the Administration and with each other. Each
of the break-out sessions will focus on a different element of creating safe learning
environments. We will examine (I) education and safety, (ii) school, community and
law enforcement partnerships, (iii) root causes of youth violence, and (iv) early warning
signs, mental health interventions and crisis response.
QUESTIONS ON NEW PROPOSALS
Question:
What did the President announce today?
Answer:
The President will announce a series of new initiatives that address many of the
problems identified in the Almual Report on School Crime and Safety. Specifically. he
will propose:
(1) A New Federal Response for Violent Deaths in Schools. President Clinton will
propose a $12 million plan to create Project SERVE, a federal School Emergency
Response to Violence effort, to help schools and local communities respond to school
related violent deaths, such as those that occurred last year in Jonesboro Arkansas,
Paducah Kentucky, Pearl Mississippi and Springfield Oregon. Based on the experiences
of these communities last year--and with input from local officials and educators in
these and other communities-- the plan will enable the federal government to assist local
communities in much the same way FEMA assists in response to natural and human
caused disasters.
(2) Targeted Resources for Schools with Serious Crime Problems. To help give the
estimated 10% of schools with serious crime problems the tools they need to put the
security of our children first, the President will announce a new $65 million initiative to
hire 2,000 commu~ity police and School Resource Officers to work in schools -- and to
train police, educators and other members of the community to help recogni.ze the early
warning signs of violence.
(3) Reforms to Help Make All Schools Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free. President
Clinton will announce his plan for a significant overhaul of the nearly $600 million Safe
and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program. Under the President's proposal,
schools will be required to adopt rigorous, comprehensive school safety plans that
include: tough, but fair, discipline policies; safe passage to and from schools; effective
drug and violence policies; annllal school safety report cards; links to after school
.programs; efforts to involve parents; and crisis management plans.
(4) A Community-Wide Response to School Safety and Youth Violence. To help
communities throughout the country promote a coordinated, comprehensive response to
school safety, the President will launch a new Safe Schools -- Safe Communities
�initiative designed to help 10 cities develop and implement cominunity-wide- school
safety plans. A minimum of $25 million in discretionary grants from the Departments
of Education, Justice and Health and Human Service -- or $1-3 million per site -- will be
made available for this initiative.
The President will also kick-off an MTV-sponsored, year-long media campaign on
scho'ol and youth violence. Working with the Departments of Education and Justice,
and the National Endowment for the Arts, MTV will distribute a Youth Action Guide
that aims to engage youth in solutions to violence.
Question:
Are you announcing any new funding for these programs?
Answer:
The $65 million for the conimunity police in schools initiative, $12 million for a new
emergency federal response to violent school deaths (Project SERVE), and $25 million
for the Safe Schools-Safe Communities demonstration project would be funded through
our FY 99 appropriations. We have identified funds that we could use within those
appropriations bil1s -- none of which have been at issue during budget discussions. So,
once Congress final1y enacts these spending measures, we can begin to fund our
initiatives.
Community Police Officers for Schools
Question:
Answer:
What does your community police for schools initiative accomplish?
To help give the estimated 10% of scl100ls with serious crime problems the tools they
need to put the security of our children,first, the President will announce a new $65
million initiative to hire 2,000 community police and School Resource Officers to work
in schools -- and to train police, educators and other members of the community to help
, recognize the early warning signs of violence.
The initiative, administered through the Justice Department's Office of Community
Oriented Policing Services (COPS), offers up to $60 million to help communities hire
school resource officers to combat school violence. This initiative offers an incentive
for local law enforcement agencies -- i~ the form of waiving a local matching
requirement -- to build-working relationships with schools to use community policing
efforts to prevent and combat school violence. In addition, the President's Initiative
will dedicate $5 million through the Regional Community Policing Institutes to
communities to help train school resource officers, and for educators and other members
ofthe community to help recognize the early warning signs of school violence.
Question:
Who is eligible to participate in the COPS initiative?
Answer:
Any local law enforcement agency utilizing officers as part of a comprehensive
community policing strategy to combat crime in and around schools may apply for the
program through the COPS Office.
�Questiou:
What is a school resource officer?
Answer:
School safety officers are sworn, fully trained officers assigned to work in a school.
The presence of a school safety officer helps provide a school with a sense of security
and order, as well as strong link to their local police department. From teaching
substance abuse prevention, to mentoring troubled kids, to intervening with potentially
violent situations between students, school safety officers across the country are
combine the functions of law enforcement and education, and helping to improve school
environments.
Question:
What is the need for the COPS initiative?
Answer:
School related crime and disorder is a serious concern in communities of all sizes across
the nation. Many communities are discovering that school safety officers are making a
difference in the battle to provide our children with a safe learning environment. The
President's initiative will help· even more communities that are interested to use these
officers in creating their own solutions to school safety and violence.
Safe and Drug-Free Schools Reform
Question:
Are you proposing increased funding for the Safe and Drug-Free schools
program?
Answer:
This proposal outlines the broad framework and requirements for federal support of
state and local drug and/or violence prevention and reduction efforts. While this plan
does anticipate some level of increased funding, it also will provide more targeting of
resources to provide stronger support to school districts for comprehensive approaches
for the reduction of drugs and violence in schools. Discussions are currently underway
to establish budget proposals for all programs in the President's FY 2000 budget.
Question:
This program has been criticized for wasting funds because school districts have
have spent them on programs that would not appear to have any impact on
reducing drug use and violence. How is this proposal going to prevent the misuse
of funds?
Answer:
A key element of our proposal to overhaill the Safe and Drug-free schools program is to
strengthen accountability for school districts receiving federal funds. These districts
wi11 have to develop a plan based on their actual crime, drug and discipline problems --.
and spend funds on activities that have sliown to be effective in creating drug-free and
safe school environments. These plans must also provide for the publication of an
annual report card to the public on school-related crime and drug incidents. Moreover,
this proposal will strengthen the capacity of states to provide technical assistance and
training to local districts to ensure that their drug and violence prevention and reduction
approaches are effective.
.
�Comprehensive Safe School-Safe Communities Initiative
Question:
Where will funds for the Coordinated Grants Program come from?
Answer:
Funds for the Coordinated Grants Program will come from three agencies: Department
of Justice, Education Department and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Various programs within these three agencies will contribute funds for this effort. For
example, the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention will contribute a portion
of funds from their Juvenile Mentoring Program and its Gang Free Schools and
Communities - Community Based Gang Intervention Program for this effort; the
Department of Education will contribute a portion of their Safe and Drug Free Schools
National Program funds; and the Department of Health and Human Services will
contribute funds from its Family Strengthening Program. Further, a portion of the funds
appropriated for expansion of Boys and Girls Clubs will be linked to this effort.
A minimum of$25 million in discretionary grants from FY1999 will be made available
for this initiative, and more funding may ultimately be dedicated to it dependent upon
final FY 99 appropriations outcomes.
New Federal Response to Violent Deaths in Schools
Question:
What types of incidents will this initiative respond to?
Answer:
While details.concerning the types ofintidents which the Federal Government will
respond to have not yet been decided, it has been determined that the Federal
Government will at a minimum respond to incidents such as those experienced last
school year in Paducah, Kentucky; Pearl, Mississippi; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and
Springfield, Oregon. Prior to making a final determination as to other types of incidents
that will be responded to, the Federal Government will seek the advice of educators,
victims, law enforcement officials, victim service advocates, parents, mental health
workers and emergency service persOimel.
QUESTIONS ON RELATED LEGISLATION
Question:
Why basn't this Administration really pushed for juvenile crime legislation?
Answer:
This Administration has pushed aggressively for powerful juvenile crime legislation -
legislation which strikes the right balance between accountability and prevention for
America's youth. All the way back in February 1997, this Administration submitted to
the Congress the "Anti-Gang and Youth Violence Act of 1997"-a vital part of the
Administration's strategy to mount a full-scale assault on juvenile crime in America.
While we have sought to work with Congress to pass meaningful legislation, we don't
believe we should accept bad juvenile crime legislation which lacks meaningful
resources for prosecutors and courts and provisions to crack down on kids and guns -
simply for the sake of claiming success. We are disappointed that the Congress has
�been unable to pass legislation which could helped to stem juvenile crime and improved
the safety of our communities.
Question:
The Mayors' Action plan supports legislation introduced by S,enator Wyden to
detain youths for 72 hours if they are caught bringing a firearm to school. Does
the Administration support this legislation?
Answer:
The President signed the Gun-Free Schools Act into law which sends a message to kids
that if they bring a gun to school, they will be eXpelled. And we have taken many other
important steps to make sure that kids do not inappropriately or illegally gain access to
guns -- through child safety locks, establishing penalties for illegally providing
handguns to youths, and cracking down on illegal gun trafficking in our youth crime
gun tracing initiative.
But clearly, there is more we should do. We should raise penalties for juveniles who
possess handguns, and for adults who illegally transfer handguns to juveniles. We
should extend the Brady Law, so that young people who commit serious and violent
offenses can't purchase handguns as soon as they become adults~ We should continue
to crack down on illegal gun markets, by increasing penalties for straw purchases and
for gang-related fiream1s offenses. And we should provide substantial funding to states
and communities to implement crime prevention initiatives, so that America's children
can learn to deal with their frustration. and conflicts without resorting to violence. We
believe that these are just a few of the most important steps we should take.
'
SHOOTING-RELATED QUESTIONS
Question:
The kids involved in the Jonesboro case were only 11 and 13 years~old-- neither of
whom could be charged as adults for this horrible tragedy. Doesn't this seem to
suggest that we should have a national age floor to be able to prosecute juveniles as
adults?
Answer:
Current federal law generally allows for the prosecution of 15 year-old juveniles as
adults for certain drug and gun crimes, and in limited cases, even 13 year-olds can be
tried as adults in federal court. We,passed these lower ages as part of the 1994 Crime
Bill. In addition, our juvenile crime legislation would give greater flexibility for federal
prosecutors to prosecute juveniles as adults, and would expand the list of crimes which
allow for such prosecution to include certain violent felonies and drug offenses.
Question:
Do you support placing conditions on grants to states, to ensure that states have an
"age floor" for prosecuting juveniles as adults?
Answer:
Of course we support states having similar policies as the federal government, and we
took a step in that direction last year, when the President signed an appropriations bill
which requires states to move toward adopting laws to allow for the prosecution of 15
�year-olds as adults. We haven't supported "hard" conditions in this area, and would
prefer to provide incentives, like we have in many other areas to support our crime
policies.
Question:
Guns played a tragic role in these shootings. Is this Administration doing enough
to keep guns out of the hands of child,ren? What more can be done to avoid these
tragedies?
Answer:
Our first priority, must be to do everything we can to help communities save young
lives and prevent juvenile crime and violence from happening in the first place. And the
truth is: we already know that tough, targeted deterrence and better prevention will do
this. For example, in Boston, Federal, state and local law enforcement --and the entire
criminal justice system, police, prosecutors, probation officers and courts --worked
together to deliver a tough; targeted message on gun violence. The result: the gangs
were literally disarmed, and no juvenile was killed with a firearm for a 2 Y2 year period,
The President's juvenile crime legislation combines this type of tough, targeted
enforcement --with schools that are open later and on weekends, when most violent
youth crime occurs --so we can prevent youth crime and violence before it happens.
But we can also do more to make sure that we help keep illegal guns out of the hands of
children. We should raise penalties for juveniles who possess handguns, and for adults
who illegally transfer handguns to juveniles. We should extend the Brady Law, so that
young people who commit serious and violent offenses can't purchase handguns as soon
as they become adults. And we should continue to crack down on illegal gun markets,
.by increasing penalties for straw purchases and for gang-related firearms offenses.
Question:
Can we stop these senseless acts from happening? Do they just happen?,
Answer:
We can create safer environments for learning and we can prevent many crimes from
occurring. This is not an easy task but it is one that can be done. One of the
cornerstones of any strategy to create safer schools and safer communities is getting the
entire community --including parents, students, teachers, mental health service
providers, clergy, law enforcement--involved in designing programs and polici~s that
meet the need of the school and the community.
In August, the President released a booklet called, HEarly Warning Timely Response-- A
Guide to Safe Schools", which provides teachers, principals, and parents with
information on how to identifY the early warning signs of violence, and actions steps to
prevent and respond to school violence. The Annual Report on School Safety, released
yesterday, also provides some tips for parents, students, businesses, etc. on what they
can do to create safer schools and communities and provides examples of proven
strategies and models.
Question:
' In most of these instances, including in Springfield with Kip Kinkel, the mental
health of these boys seems to be in question. If mental illness is the root cause, can·
we prevent these random acts from happening?
�Answer:
The Administration has been working very hard to help schools -- and others who
interact with children -- to identify those students who are in need of assistance to
improve the linkages between mental health services and schools. The President
recently released a guide on the early warning signs of violence which provides
teachers, administrators, and parents with guidance on how to identify students who are
in need of mental health services. We believe the guide will· help schools identify those'
students who are in need of mental health services earlier, so they can receive the help
they need.'
But there's another answer, too, and it goes to the heart of why a child's cry for help
often goes unheeded. The simple fact is that mental illness is still a very scary idea that
many believe shouldn't be talked about or acted upon. Through the work of Mrs. Gore
and HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA),
we have been working to educate the Nation to the realities of mental health problems
and to break through the stigma that, for too long, has stood between a person in need of
care.and the impetus to seek that care.
Question:
Most people feel that mental health services are not adequately funded. Are these.
services being funded at appropriate levels both locally and at the Federal level? If
not, why not?
Answer:
Funding -- whether at the federal or state level -- is but one of the issues that has
affected the range and avai lability of mental health services. Since the late 1960s, when
large numbers of people were released from state institutions, community mental health
systems have been called upon to provide the bulk of mental health services. Until
recently, the stigma of mental illriesses has separated mental health care not only from.
other types health care, but also from the:capacity to link with schools, social service
agencies, employment programs, and other supportive services. Today, the health of
these collaborations is Increasingly robust -- but variably so, across the country. The
challenge that we are meeting today has been to both leverage our resources and to build
partnerships with the broad range of mental health constituencies at the national, state,
and local levels to improve their systems of care for people of all ages with mental
health problems.
�UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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Safe and Drug Free Schools Act - New Initiatives
';:~\Attached, is a copy of what we propose the President announce as he releases the SDFS
~.;(Act. This proposal has been reviewed and approved by Mike Smith and includes many
,{t<ofthe initiatives/efforts we originally discussed. Also, to show the comprehensive nature
.::::;:'of changes being proposed in the reauthorization we have added a few items related to
. ?(::the broader bill. In lieu of adding 1)000 additional counselors we are proposing an
1},:'"expai)sion of the Safe SchoolslHealthy ,Students Initiative. As you are aware this
:,::~,Jnitiative not only would provide resources to school districts to hire mental health
:i;':::;\,counseiors, it would also permit them to develop and implement a comprehensive
,'}Vstrategy for creating safe schools and healthy students. We feel this comprehensive
:J:i~: approach is much more effective in reducing violence, changing the structure of schools,
\~< and in linking students to adults-including mental health workers. We hope you
:;::;:~.:' consider this approach in place of merely hiring counselors.
"::':.(::'' < .'
;:;:>:' I will be leaving around 6:30 to meet with some folks who are in town for the COPS
}/:" School Resource Officer Foeus Group Meeting but will be available early tomorrow to
changes. Ann O'Leary is also available to discuss changes.
.:,;.,~'. '.discuss
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I4J 002
President Clinton: Making Our Schools Safe. Disciplined and t>rug-Free
The President's reauthorization proposal for the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (ESEA), which will be transmitted to Congress on May XX, will
include several initiatives designed to support schools in their efforts to create
safe, disciplined and drug-free learning environments. The proposal includes new
initiatives to improve the effectiveness of programs supported under the Safe and
Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA), require referral for mental
health assessments for students that bring firearms and bombs to school, and
support programs including "second chance" strategies for disruptive, suspended, or
expelled students. A new secondary school initiative designed to help better
connect students to their teachers and other adults and a requirement for
improved disciplinary poliCies are also important elements of the Administration's
plan for safe, disciplin~d, and drug-free learning environments. ,
The New Safe. Disciplined. and DNg ... Free Schools and Communities Program
Part of the overall ESEA initiative, the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and
Communities Act (SDFSCA) represents the federal government's largest effort to
prevent youth drug use ol"ld school violence.. At the White House Conference on
School Safety, the President proposed overhaUling the SDFSCA program to prOVide
more effective prevention programs for the reduction of drugs and violence in
schools, more accountability for results, and better targeting to school districts
with significant need and high-quality plans for creating safe, disciplined, and drug
free learning environments.
Specifically, the President's reauthorization proposal for the SDFSCA will:
• Emphasize the importance of research-based programs
• Concentrate funds on areaS of high-need that propose high-quality programs
• Improve coordination between the State and Local Educational Agency Program
and Governor1s Program by fOCUSing both programs the creation of safe,
disciplined, and drug-free learning environments
• Increase accountability by requiritlg school districts to develop comprehensive
plans that include:
on
./ Clear and fair diScipline policies that prohibit disorderly conduct. the
possession of firearms, bombs and other weapons, and tne use, sale or
posseSSion of drugs. alcohol. and other drugs .
./ Security procedures for schools and to protect students on the way to and
from school in conjunction with law enforcement officiols.
�05/05/99
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./' Early intervention and prevention activities designed to create and maintain
safe, disciplined. and drug-free environment.
./' Collection of data and report results to the public as part of annual report
cards.
." Procedures to identify and intervene with troubled youth .
./' Activities that connect students to responsible adults in the community.
including activities such as mentoring and after-school programs.
v Plans for responding to violent or traumatic incidents on school grounds.
Expand efforts to provide resources for comprehensive prevention efforts.
Comprehensive programs that address the complex needs of students are more
likely to result in the creation of safe. disciplined. and drug-free learning
environments. BUilding on on FY 1999 collaboration between the U.S. Departments
of Education, J'ustice and Health and Human Services that will award grants to
provide communities with enhanced educational. mental health, social service, law
enforcement and juvenife justice system services that promote health childhood
development and prevent violence and alcohol and other drug abuse, the proposal
authorizes this approach as part of SDFSCA National Programs.
Require a referral for mental health assessment for siudents possessing
firearms and bombs at school. Under current law. schools are generally required
to expel any student who brings a gun or explosive device to schools, as well as to
refer that student to criminal or juvenile justice authorities. During the 1996
1997 school year, thiS national policy af "zero tolerance" for guns resulted in more
than 6.000 students being expelled from schools. Under the President's new
proposal. schools will now also be required to refer every students that brings a gun
or bomb to a campuS to a mental health professional assessment to determine if the
student poses an imminent threat to himself or others.
Support programs that educate. students about risks associated with firearms.
The Administration's proposal authorizes programs that educate students about
the risks and pOSSible consequences associated with firearms and helps them make
safe choices and avoid injuries.
Promote olternative schools and "second chance"' programs for disruptive
students. Students who constantly disrupt classes and engage in fights make it
difficult for teachers to teach and for other students to learn. The
reauthorization proposal allows grantees to spend SDFSCA funds on alternative
schools or other "second chance" strategies: the President's PI 2000 budget also
includes $9 million for the development of model programs and strategies that
prOVide consequences while keeping disruptive students on track academically.
@003
�05/05/99
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Expend character ed~co.tion programs. Current law prevents the Secretary of
Educo.tion from mokihg more than 10 grants per year for character education
programs, and limits overall funding for each state to $1 million over a 5-year
period. The President willrecomme.nd lifting these restrictions So that more states
can'implement character education program that help instill c:ommon Sense volues in
our children.
Create a Cerrter to assemble information obout bUt proqices' in preventing
youth Violence prevention strategies. The creation of safe and disciplined
learning environments is a complex problem. requiring imprementation of
comprehensive strategies ond programs. As part of a strategy to improve the
,effecti\leness of these efforts. additional resources will be u~ed to identify
effective, research-based strategies and encourage their implementation at the
school building level.
Continue support for coordinators to Improve drug and violence prevention
programs in middle schools. Et> will make three-year grant awards in FY 1999 to
local educational agencies to support drug prevention and school safety
coordinators in middle schools with significant drug, disciplil"le. and school safety
problems. The grants will be used to recruit and hire coordinators to identify and
implement research~based drug and violence prevention strategies, conduct needs
assessments, work with community agencies to ensure that student needs are met,
encourage student and parent participation in the development of prevention
programs, assist in the evaluation acti\lities, and coordinote with student and
employee assistance programs.
Project SERV: Helping Communities Respond to School Crises
The Safe. Disciplined. and Drug-Free Schools ond Communities Program also include
a new initiative - Project SERV (School Etnergency Response to Violence) - to help
communities respond to incidents of schaol.....elated violent deaths. t>eveloped with
the help of the communities impacted by recent school shootings. Project SERV
will:
Provide immediate os!:i$fClnt.:e for emergency response. As soon as a school
related violent or traumatic incident occurs. the federal government will be able to
prOVide the affected community with immediate assistance. through:
• An Emergency Response Fund to help communities meet urgent and unplanned
needs, su<:h as additional security personnel. emergency mental health crisis
counseling. and long~-term counseling to students. faculty and their families.
~004
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• Crisis Response Experts trained by the Departments of Education, Justice.
Health and Human Services, and the Federal Emergency Management
Administration, who can help local officials identify and respond to commutlity
needs, help in developing a plan to address those needs. and assist in locating
necessary financial and human resources.
Establish coordinated Federal response to school crises. Officials from the
Departments of Education, Justie:e, HHE, and From FEMA worked together to help
schools impacted by last year's shootings. These agencies will continue to work
together oS port of Project SERV, and improve ongoing federal crisis response
efforts.
Strengthen the ability of states and communities to I"ltspond to $Chool c:rises.
Project SERV wilt work to strengthen the ability of each state's emergency
management, education. community mental health atld law etlforcement agencies to
prevent and respond to school criSes.
Support reseo.rch and evaluation. To help communities deal with future school
related crisis, Project SERV will support research atld evaluation on effective ways
to prevent and respond to the consequences of school-related homicides.
Other ESEA Initiatives
Other provisions in the ESEA reouthori%atiotl proposal are important parts of the
Administration's plan to support the creation safe, disciplined, ahd drug-free
learhihg environments.
Make changes in schools that connect odults and students. Under the ESEA
reauthorization, the President will include a proposal to Reform Americo's High
Schools. There are for too many high schools where students are nameless and
faceless to the adults ih the school - one among many being shuffled through a
large school that is trying to provide the basics, but unable ta go beyond. This new
initiative wouid provide resources to help transform 5,000 high schools into places
where studehtll receive individual attention. are motivated to learn, are prOVided
with challenging courses, and receive an education that provides students with
ihforrnation to help them reach their long-tertn coreer and'educational goals.
Hold schools accountable for prOViding disciplined environments where all
students can learn. The Presidentts Educational Accountability Act would ensure
that schools implemcht sOUhd discipline policies to foster safe, orderly, a.,d drug
free learning envirohmeht ih every school. Our proposol would require States to
hold school districts atld schools accountable for discipline policies that focus on
I4I 005
�05/05/99
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prevention, are consistent and foir, ond are developed with the participation of the
school community.
Permit local school districts to use Q portion of eSEA funds to support
coordinated services. Local school districts may use up to 5% of the ESEA funds
they receive to provide elementary and secondary school students and their
families with better accesS to the social, health, and education services necessary
.
for students to succeed in school.
III 006
�White House Conference on
School Safety:
Causes and Prevention' of
Youth Violen'ce
Facilitator
A Li:ve National Satellite Broadcast Presented by the office of Juvenile Justice and
delinquency prevention, U.S. Department of Justice
in association with
Safe and Drug Free Schools Program
U.S. Department of Edu,cation
and
Juvenile Justice Telecommunications Assistance Project
Training Resource Center
Eastern Kentucky University
�"
Letter fro.:o Secretary-Rii!Y=a:nd AttolUey GeneTftlJa.a,et=.R:eno:,
POfU:S
--.:::::::
��White House Conference On School Safety: Causes and Prevention of Youth Violence
J
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Media Tips
�Sample Press Release
�How to Create a Satellite Downlink Event
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����Discussion Questions
������Promoting Discipline and Safety in Schools
July 18, 1998
In his speech to the AFT today, the President will discuss the importance of school discipline and
safety to the nation. He will announce a White House Conference on School Safety and
highlight some of the school safety policies promoted by the Administration -- school uniforms,
tough truancy laws, community-based curfews, and zero tolerance for guns.
White House Conference on School Safety
•
National School Safety Day. The President will proclaim October 15, 1998, National
School Safety Day and host a White House meeting that will be linked by satellite to
schools across the country and specifically include the communities impacted by the
recent wave of school shootings.
•
First Annual Report on School Safety. The President will also issue the first Annual
Report on School Safety, which will include: an analysis of all existing national school
crime data and an overview of state and local crime reporting; examples of schools and
strategies that are successfully reducing school violence, drug use, and class disruption;
actions that parents can take locally to combat school crime, including a local safety
checklist; and resources available to schools and communities to help create safe,
disciplined, and drug-free schools.
Promoting School Discipline
•
Spreading school uniform policies across the country. Since President Clinton
highlighted school uniforms in 1996, a growing number of schools. have adopted uniform
policies. This includes some the nation's largest school districts -- New York City, Dade
County, San Antonio, Houston, Chicago and Bpston. In New York City alone, more than
half a million elementary school students will be wearing uniforms by fall of 1999.
•
Improving school attendance and safety in Long Beach, CA: In the 1995-96 school
year -- the third year school uniforms were required -- attendance at the Long Beach
Unified School District K-8 schools reached the highest point ever recorded during the 17
years the district compiled these statistics. With excused absences for illness added in,
attendance exceeded 99%. And between the 1993-94 school year (before uniforms were
required) and the 1996-97 school year, total school crime dropped 76%.
•
Keeping kids off the street and in school. Community curfews are designed to help
keep children out of harm's way, enhance community safety, and give parents an
important tool to impart discipline, respect, and rules. A recent survey by the U.S.
Conference of Mayors showed that 276 of347 cities surveyed -- or 80% -- had youth
curfew laws, up from 70% in 1995. And in New Orleans, a community-supported curfew
-- combined with summer jobs and recreational programs for youth -- helped cut juvenile
crime during curfew hours the year after it was implemented.
�HLO'is:IPG
•
Taking on truancy. In 1996, at the President's direction, the Education Department
issued a guidebook to the 15,000 school districts nationwide, outlining the core
components of a comprehensive truancy prevention policy and highlighting model
initiatives. Since then, the Department has also provided grants to local school districts
to develop innovative truancy prevention programs.
•
Enforcing zero tolerance for guns in schools. In October 1994, President Clinton
signed into law the Gun-Free Schools Act, and issued a Presidential Directive later that
month to enforce "zero tolerance" for guns in schools -- if a student brings a gun to
school, that student will be expelled for a year. In school year 1996-97, the U.S.
Department of Education estimates that, under zero tolerance policies, 6,093 students
were expelled from public schools for bringing a firearm to school.
Challenging Congress to Strengthen Public Schools
President Clinton will call on Congress again to support his efforts to improve
and reform K-12 education by raising standards for students and teachers,
strengthening accountability, and expanding public school choice. The President
has proposed the strategic investments necessary to ensure that our children are
prepared for the 21 st century, by reducing class size, modernizing our schools,
investing in technology, expanding after-school learning opportunities, raising
standards and ending social promotions. The President will also urge Congress to
help states strengthen teacher preparation programs and provide incentives for
well-prepared individuals to teach in the public schools, by including provisions
consistent with the Administration's proposal for teacher preparation and
recruitment, that are part of the House and Senate conference on the Higher
Education Act.
�·'
UNlTItD STATSlSDBPARTMENr OF EDUCATION
AprllIO, 1998
The P:tesident
The White House
.
Was.hingEon, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
•
'
.
h
I.n light ofyour' stroDi commitment to making America's schools sa.fer~ we are transmitting the.
sacond. in a. series of fi"e ropods on school cr:hru; aod violence. They serve as precUrsors to ill
national report that you requested on the overall state .of school gUety.
This
tePOt\ Stlldents' ReptJl'ts DIScho~l c>tme: ]989 aM 1995, WU prcpatl:c.1jointlY by liUrt'Wo
departments.. It is based OD interviews with a !i.ationally tcpIC5(lntativc sample of approximately
.
. .
10,000 IItwiems aged 12..19.
The tepOrt &haws that tb.erc: was little to DD change in the petcenlagO of students toportmg
vidimization at school. Howeves', the repOrt does .telJ us wb.c=re we need to foaus our utentiOZl. In
t 995, slightly OWlf five: percent of stu~ reported seeiag ao.other student with is gun at school.
1!l addition. thepercentap of students ~rting street gangs in their schools w:miy doubled and
drugs still
too eas~ availa.ble in out schools.
remam
In 0'l.Il' last report to you issuc:dby the NatioMl Center for Education Statistics, we reported that
ninety percent of all school, are free ofserious violent crime, Bm violent crime remains it
.
problem in ten percent of oW: schools, and as you bave stated many times. even ODe crime in C1.Il" .
~choo.ls j,lf one too many.
Solving these ptOblems will require the effort,g of.everyons in our communities •• D:om :ulhools
IlDd teachers to part:nts and fiunilies to law enforcement officials and religious groups. The
federal govermnent also bas a role to play iD helping loca1 eommunitieaaddress thC8G problems.
Under yOUl" directiO!l, we haw developed a number ofimpartant initiatives.
. .
We ha"e worked. With state authorities to c:ri5ure that ""cry state has a ZClV-tolerance guo. policy,
requiring the expulsion of students Who bring guns to school. We are also providing more than
$l.S billion in grants to states and. territories in J998 to support schoo)~ and community..baslld
programs in violence a.nd drug prevention. In response 'Co ;your encouragem~ there has also
been a dramatit;; increase in the number of sehools impIemenUu&' I'Ilchool unifOtlIl policies as a
'Way to improve diseipli.ml..
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Our Departments are also working together in a Dumber ot ways. We are helping to 1:ndn
teaab.ers and olber community members to deal effec~vely with ,9C;hool violence, and '9I'C I!Ift:
wtn:king to establilb a new cCmter that will provide school, with uaiDina and toobuical assistance
on erime prevention. The Depaitment of Justice is in the process of 3W3rding S17.S milJion in
GJUI'dS and the Department ofEducadon ~l soon abDOUIH;e lit new $S million disQ'etioDal)' grant
competitioQ for safe..school strategies. And we continue to urge the Congress to enact key
provisions of our Antl.GanIi md Youth Violence Slt8Ceay.
We look fal"lWt'd to continuiD&' to "WOrk with you to make every American ,chool a. safe hll.vcm
where children can (eam aa.d pw up 10 be iood ci~.
,
Sincerely,
~~.~.
Richard
W.~ey ,~
.U.S. SeQ'etUY of Education
Enl:ilosure
JanetR.ea.o
AttomeyOeneral
�The White House Conference on School Safety
October 15, 1998
Questions and Answers (Internal)
GENERAL CONFERENCE QUESTIONS
Question:
Why are you hosting a White House Conference on School Safety?
Answer:
Although schools are among the safest places for America's young people, we know
that violent crime continues to plague a num,ber of our schools. The recent school
shooting tragedies are a stark reminder ofthis. We know that the problems children
face in school often reflect the problems of their communities: drugs, gangs, and guns.
Fortunately, we also know a lot about the causes of youth violence and school violence,
as well as what works to prevent it. The President is convening the White House
Conference on'School Safety so that we can share with people around the country the
wealth of information we have: Weli over 600· satellite sites will be participating in this
Conference; they will listen to, and learn from, students, parents, teachers, law
enforcement and other experts about why school violence happens and what works to
prevent it.
'
Question:
What is happening at the Conference?
Answer:
The White House Conference on School Safety will work toward finding solutions to
this challenge: How do schools, families and communities work together to make sure
that every child is safe in every school and community in America? The President, Vice
President and First Lady will explore solutions to this challenge with the Attorney
General, the Secretary of Education, elected officials, students, parents, teachers, law
enforcement and ot~er experts.
,The daY:-long event in the East Room of the White House includes morning workshops
and panel discussions. The opening panel will set-up the day by examining the problem
and the causes ofschool and youth violence. The second panel will tum towards
solutions, with the President making a number of policy anllouncements. The third and
final panel will explore best practices and model safety strategies that have been shown
to r~duce school and youth violence.
\
Question:
What has the President done on the issue ofschool safety?
Answer:
Throughout his Presidency, President Clinton has worked to strengthen America's
schools, communities and families, by giving Americans the tools they need to fulfill
their responsibilities and giving children the ability to reach their full potential in a safe
1
�and healthy environment. To that end, President Clinton and this Administration have
worked to promote school safety, prevent youth violence and encourage learning. The
President is working to make our schools safer and drug-free with programs like
School-Based Partnerships which helps to forge or strengthen partnerships between
local law enforcement and schools to focus on school crime, drug use and discipline
problem or the zero tolerance for guns in schools policy which requires the expulsion of
students for bringing firearms to schools. Last'month, the President released the Early
Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools. This guide provides schools and .
communities with information on how to identify the early warning signs and take
,action steps to prevent and respond to school violence. And the President's
comprehensive Anti-Gang and Youth Violence Strategy is a full-scale assault on
juvenile crime in America. These are just a few examples.
Question:
Are America's schools unsafe?
Answer:
America's schools are quite safe. While we need to work to make them safer, we know
that for the most part our schools are safer than the communities in which they are
located. Data from the Annual Report on School Safety indicates that 43 percent of
schools reported NO incidents of crime, and 90 percent of schools reported NO
incidents of serious violent crime.
'But even though schools are generally safe, no school or community is immune from
senseless violence, as last school year's tragedies reminded us. And although students
are safer sitting in a classroom than walking down the street, serious crime problems
persist, gang presence in schools doubled between 1989 and 1995, thousands of kids
bring gpns to school, and discipline remains the #1 problem in the classroom. We will
be addressing these issues. in the Conference..
Question:
If America's schools are, for the most part, so safe, why did these recent tragedies
occur?
Answer:
The recent tragedies in Pearl, Paducah, Jonesboro, Springfield, Oregon are extremely
rare (less than one percent of homicides among this age group occurs in a school
setting). Nevertheless, they are truly tragic incidents that we hope never happen again.
.We may never understand why a young man would walk into. a school and shoot his
fellow students and teachers -- perhaps because of media influences, availability of
guns, insufficient mental health counseling. While we need to better understand why
these incidents occurred, it is more important that we ensure they don't happen again:
Much o'f what is happening at this conference will help schools and communities in that
regard.
Question:'
Whose responsibility is it to create safer schools and communities?
2
�Answer:
We cannot make schools truly safe unless we make the communities -- of which those
schools are a part -- safe as well. ' And we cannot make schools and communities ,safe
unless students, parents, teachers, law enforcement, government agencies, businesses
'and elected officials join together to develop community-wide and comprehensive
responses to the unique iss,ues that face every school and community. Fundamentally,
creatingsafe schools and communities is a local issue; but we at the'Federallevel stand
ready to offer our assistance and partnership.
'
Question:
How did you select these individuals who are panelists?
Answer:
We received many recommendations and worked to make sure that the panels represent
'a good cross-section of Ainerica, as well as perspectives from individuals who have a,
lot of fIrsthand experience with school safety and youth violence in general. The
panelists include noted experts in their fIelds, participants from communities affected by
the recent school shootings, a student, educators and ,other stakeholders. We are looking
forward to thoughtful discussions which focus not only on the problems and challenges
with respect to school safety -- but primarily on the solutions.
Question:
The panels do not appear to be very bipartisan. Why not?
Answer:
School and youth safety aren't partisan issues. Our panelists are a good cross-section of
America -- actually, of the 16 or so panelists (exCluding principals), only two are elected
'
officials, one is a member of Congre&s and the other is a mayor. And this
Administration encourages participation from both sides of the aisle on these important
, issues.
Question:
What is the First Lady's role at this Conference? 'Why is the First Lady playing
, such a large role in this conference? What does she know about this issue?
Answer:
The First Lady will chair the opening panel which will set-up the day by, examirting the'
problem and the causes of school and youth violence and she will participate in the ,
second panel which will turn towards solutions., Lastly, the First Lady will chair th.e
third and fInal panel which will explore best practices and model safety strategies that '
have been shown to reduce school and youth violence.
Throughout her career, the First Lady has worked on issues affecting children and
families. And one of the very fIrst projects she worked on as a young attorney at the' ,
Childfen's Defense Fund 25 years ago was a study of what happens to juveniles
incarcerated with adults. She found that children placed in adult prisons experience
unspeakable horrors, and in fact, as,a result of this research., Congress acted in 1974 to
separate juveniles from adults in prison. Since then Mrs. Clinton has worked on a
number of initiatives, including home visitation, mentoring programs~ and early
3
�,
,
education programs, that reduce juvenile delinquency, crime rates, teen birth rates, and
other signs that children are at risk.
Question:
What is the purpose of the morning breakout sessions? Who is participating in
~
these sessions?
Answer:
The morning break-out sessions are critical opportunities for the Conference's
participants to brainstorm, to share ideas with Attorney General Reno, Education
Secretary Riley, other senior members of the Administration and with each other. Each
of the break-out sessions will.focus on a different element of creating safe learning
environments. We will examine (i) education and safety, (ii) school, community and
law enforcement partnerships;(iii) root causes of youth violence, and (iv) early warning
signs; mental health interventions and crisis response.
QUESTIONS ON NEW PROPOSALS,
. Question:
Answer:
What did the President announce today?
The President will announce a series of new initiatives that address many of the
problems identified in the Annual Report on School Crime and Safety. Specifically, he
will propose:
(1) A New Federal Response for Violent.Deaths in Schools. President Clinton will
propose a $12 millioRSchool Emergency Response to Violence -- or Project SERV -- to
help schools and local communities respond to school-related violent deaths, such as
those that occurred last year in Jonesboro, Arkansas; Paducah, Kentucky; Pearl,
Mississippi; and Springfield, Oregon. Developed with input from local officials and
educators in these and other COnimunities, Project SERV will enable the federal
, goveminent to assist local comri:mnities inmuch the same way FEMA'assists in
, response, to natural disasters. '
(2) Targeted Resources for Schools with Serious Crime Problems. To help give the
estimated 10% of schools with serious crime problems the tools they'need to put the
security of our children first, the President will announce a new $65 million initiative to
hire up to 2,000 community police and School Resource Officers to work in schools -
and to train police, educators and other members of the community to help recognize
the early warning signs of violence. '
'
.
(3) Reforms to Help Make All Schools Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free. President
Clinton will announce his plan for a significant' overhaul of the nearly $600 million Safe
. and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program. Under the President's proposal,
. schools will be required to adopt rigorous, comprehensive school safety plans that
include: tough, but fair, discipline policies; safe passage to and from schools; effective
4
�drug and violence policies and programs; annual school safety and drug use report
cards; links to after school programs; efforts to involve parents; and crisis management
plans.
(4) A Community-Wide Response to School Safety and Youth Violence. To help
cOInmunities throughout the country promote a coordinated, comprehensive response to
school safety, the President will launch a new Safe Schools -- Safe Communities
initiative designed to help 10 cities develop and implement community-wide school
safety plans. A minimum of $25 million in discretionary grants from the Departments
of Education, Justice and Healthand HUman Services -- or $1-3 million per site -- will
be made available for this initiative.
The President will announce a partnership with MTV to engage youth in solutions to
yiolence. He will announce that MTV, beginning in 1999, wi111aunch a year-long
media campaign -- "Fight For Your Rights: Take A Stand Against Youth Violence" -
designed to give young adults a voice in the national debate on school and youth
violence. Working with the Departments of Education and Justice, and the National
Endowment for the Arts, MTV will distribute a Youth Action Guide that aims to engage
, youth in ment6ring and other positive solutions to violen.ce. The guide will be made
available through a 1-800numbt(r at the Justice Department and through MTV.
Question:
. Answer:
Are you announcing any new funding for these programs?
The $65 million for the community police in schools initiative and $25 million for the
Safe Schools-Safe Communities demonstration project would be funded through our FY
99 appropriations. We have identified funds that we could use within those
appropriations bills -- none of which have been at issue during budget discussions. So,
once Congress finally enacts th~se spending measures, we can begin to fund our
initiatives. We expect to transmit legislation to Congress' for our proposal to create a
new emergency federal response to violent school deaths (project SERV), and will
include the $12 million to pay for it in our FY 2000 budget.
Community Police Officers for Schools
Question:
Answer: .
What does your community police for schools initiative accomplish?
. To help give the estimated 10% of schools with serious crime problems the tools they
need to put the security of our children first, the President will announce a new $65 .
million initiative to hire approximately 2,000 community police and School Resource
Officers to work in schools--,and to train police, educators and other members of the
community to help recognize the early warning signsof violence.
The initiative, administered through 'the Justice Department's Office of Community
5
�Oriented Policing Services (COPS), offers $60 million to help' cormriunities hire school
· resource officers to combat school violence. This initiative, offers an incentive for local
law enforcement agencies -- in the form of waiving. a local matching requirement -- to
build working relationships with schools to use co:n:imunity policing efforts to prevent . .
· and combat school violence. In addition, the President's Initiative will-dedicate $5
million through the Regional Community Policing Institutes to communities t9 help.
train school resource officers, and to train educators and other members of the
community to recognize the early warning signs of schooLviolence.
Question:
Who is eligible to participate in the COPS i:qitiative? ',:',
Answer:
Any local law enforcement agency utlizing officers as part 'of a comprehensive
community policing strategy to combat crime in and around schools may apply for the
program through the COPS Office.
. Question:,.
Answer:
,
',."
What is a school resource officer?
are
School resource officers
sworn, fully trained officers assigned to', work in a school.
· The presence of a school resource officer ;helps provide a school with a sense·of security
· and order; as well as strong linkto their local police department.
teaching
substance abuse prevention, to mentoring troubled kids, to intervening with potentially
,violent situations between students, school resource officers across tijecountry are
combine the functions oflaw e¢'orcement and education,_ and helping to improve school
environments.
From
Question:
Answer:
What is the need for the COPS initiative?
School'related crime and disorder is a serious concern in communities of all sizes across
.' the nation. Many communities aT~ discovering that school resource officers are making
· a difference in the battle to provide our children with a: safe learning environment. The
President's initiative will help even IJ;lore communities that are interested t~ use these
officers in creating their own solutions to school. safety and violence.
.
· Safe·and Drug-Free Schools Re~orrit
. Question:
Answer:
Are you proposing increased funding for the SaTe and Drug-Free school~
program? '
. This proposal outlines the broad framework and requirements for federal support of
state and local drug and/or violence prevention and reduction efforts..While this plan .
does anticipate some level of increased funding, it also will provide more targeting of
6
�resources to provide stronger support to school districts for comprehensive approaches
for the reduction of drugs and violence in schools. Discussions are currently underway
to establish budget proposals for all programs in the President's FY 2000 budget.
. Question:.
Answer:
This program has been criticized for wasting funds because school districts have
have spent them on programs that would not appear to have any impact on
reducing drug u'se and violence. How is this proposal going to prevent the misuse
of funds?
A key element of our proposal to overhaul the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program is
to strengthen accountability for school districts receiving federal funds. These districts
will have to develop a plan based on their actual criJ;lle; cirug and discipline problems -
and spend funds on activities that have shown to be effective in creating drug-free and
safe school environments. These plans must also provide for the publication of an
annual report card to the public on school-relatedcritne and drug incidents .. Moreover,
this proposal will strengthen the capacity of states to provide technical assistance and
training to local districts to ensure that their drug and violence prevention and reduction
approaches are effective. .
Comprehensive Safe School-Safe Communities Initiative
Question:
Answer:
Where will funds for the Coordinated Grants Program come from?
Funds for the Coordinated Grants Program will come from three agencies: Department
of Justice, Education Department and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Various programs within these three agencies will contribute funds for this effort. For
example, the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention will contribute a portion
offunds from their Juvenile Mentoring Program and its Gang Free Schools and
Communities - Community Based Gang Intervention Program for this effort; the Justice
D~partment will contribute funds from its COPS Initiative; the Department of Educati~n
. will contribute a portion of their Safe and Drug Free Schools National Program funds;
and the Department of Health and Human Services will contribute funds from its
Family Strengthening Program. Further, a portion of the funds appropriated for .
expansion of Boys and Girls Clubs will be linked to this effort.
A minimum of $25 million in discretionary grants from FY1999 will be made a~ailable
for this initiative, and more funding may ultimately be dedicated to it dependent upon
final FY.99 appropriations outcomes..
New Federal Response to Violent Deaths in: Schools
Question: .
What types of incidents will this initiative respond to?
·7
�'. <,
Ans~er:
While details concerning the types of incidents which the Federal Government will
respond to have not yet been deCided, it has been determined that the Federal
Government will at a minimum respond to incidents such as those experienced last
school year in Paducah, Kentucky; Pearl, Mississippi; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and
Springfield, Oregon. Prior to making a final determination as to other types of incidents
that will be responded to, the Federal Government will seek the advice of educators,
victims, law enforcement officials, victim service advocates, parents, mental health
workers and emergency service personnel.
QUESTIONS ON RELATED LEGISLATION
Question:
Why hasn't this Administration pushed harder for juvenile crime legislation?
Answer:
This Administration has pushed aggressively for powerful juvenile crime legislation -.:.
legislation which strikes the right balanc,e between accountability and prevention for
America's youth. All the way back in February 1997, this Administration submitted to
the Congress the "Anti-Gang and Youth Violence Act of 1997"-a vital part of the
Administration's strategy to mount a full-sc~le assault on juvenile crime in America.
While we have sought to work with Congress to pass meaningful legislation, we don't
believe we should accept bad juvenile crime legislation which lacks resources for
prosecutors and courts and provisions to crack down on kids and guns -- simply for the
sake of claiming success: We are disappointed that the Congress has been unable to
pass legislation that could help ~o stemjuvenile crime and improve the safety of our
communities.
SHOOTING-RELATED QUESTIONS
Question:
The kids involved in the Jonesboro case were only 11 and 13 years-old-- neither of
whom could be charged as adults (or this horrible tragedy. Doesn't this seem to
suggest that we should have a national age floor to be able to prosecute juveniles as
adults?
Answer:
Current federal law generally allows for the prosecution of 15 year-old juveniles as
adults for certain drug and gun crimes, and in limited cases, even 13 year-olds can be
tried as adults in federal court. We passed these lower ages as part of the 1994 Crime
Bill. In addition, our juvenile crime legislation would give greater flexibility for federal
prosecutors to prosecute juveniles as adults, and would expand the list of crimes which
allow for such prosecution to include certain violent felonies and drug offenses. We
believe that these are suffiCiently tough provisions.
Question:
Guns played a tragic role in these shootings. Is this Administration doing enough
to keep guns out of the hands of children? What more can be done to avoid these
8
�tragedi~s?
Answer:
Our first priority, must be to do everything we can to help communities save young'
lives and prevent juvenile crime and violence from happening in the first place. And the'
truth is: we already knowthattough, targeted deterrence and better prevention will do
this. For example, in Boston, Federal, state and local law enforcement --and the entire
criminal justice system, police, prosecutors, probation officers and courts --worked
together to deliver a tough, targeted message on gun violence. The result: the gangs
were literally disarmed, and no juvenile was killed with a firearm for a 2 ~ year period.
The President's juvenile crime legislation. combines this type of tough, targeted
enforcement --with schools that are open later and on weekends, when most violent
youth crime occurs --so we can prevent youth crime and violence before it happens.
But we can also do more to make sure that we help keep illegal guns out of the hands of
children. We should raise penalties for juveniles who possess handguns, and for adults
who illegally transfer handguns to juveniles. We should extend the Brady Law, so that
young people who commit serious and violent offenses can't purchase handguns as soon
as they become adults. And we should continue to crack down on illegal gun markets,
by increasing penalties for straw purchases and for gang-related firearms offenses.
Question:
. Can we stop these senseless acts ftoOl happening? Do they just happen?
Answer:
We can create safer environments for learning and we can prevent many crimes from
occurring. This is not an easy task but it is one that can be done. One of the
. cornerstones of any strategy to create safer schools and safer communities is getting the
entire community --including parents, students, teachers, mental health service
providers, clergy, law enforcement--involved in designing programs and policies that,
meet the need ofthe school and the community.
'
In August, the President released a booklet called, "Early Warning Timely Response-- A
Guide to Safe Schools", which provides teachers, principals, and parents with
information on how to identify the ,early warning signs of violence, and actions steps to
prevent and respond to schoo1.violence. The Annual Report on School Safety, released
. yesterday, also provides some tips for parents, students, businesses, etc, on what they.
can do to create safer schools and communities and provides examples of proven
strategies and models.
\
.
Question:
In most of these instances, including in Springfield with Kip Kinkel, the mental
health of these boys seems to be in question. If mental illness is the root cause, ~an
we prevent these random acts from happening?
Answer:
The Administration has been working very hard to help schools --:and others who
interact with children -- to identify those students who are in need of assistan~e to .
9
�'.'
improve the linkages between mental health services and schools. The Pr,esident
recently released a guide on the early warning signs of violence which provides
teachers, administrators, and parents with guidance on how to identify students who. are
in need 'of mental health services. We believe the guide will help schools identify those
students who are in need of mental health services earlier, so they can receive the help
they need.
But there's another answer, too, and it goes to the heart of why a child's cry for help
often goes unheeded. The simple fact is that mental illness is still a very scary idea that
many believe shouldn't be talked about or acted upon. Through the work of Mrs. Gore
and HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA),
we have been working to educate the Nation to the realities of mental health problems
and to break through the stigma that~ fortoo long, hasstoodbetweena person in need of
care and the impetus to seek that care.
. .
'. .
Question:
Most people feel that mental health services are not adequately funded. Are these
.services, being funded at appropriate levels both locally and at the Federal level? If
not, why not?
Answer:
Funding -- whether at the federal or state level -- is but one of the issues that has
affected the range and availability of mental health services. Since the late 1960s, when
large numbers of people were released from state institutions, community mental health
systems have been called upon to provide the bulk of mental health services. Until
recently, the stigma of mental illnesses has separated mental health care not only from
other types health care, but also from the capacity to link with schools, social service
agencies, employment programs, and other supportive services. Today, the health of
these collaborations is increasingly robust -- but variably so, across the country. The
challenge that we are meeting today has been to both leverage our resources and to build
partnerships with the broad range' of mental health constituencies at the national, state,
and localleveis to improve their systems of care for people of all ages with mental
.
health problems.'
10
.""
�October 14, 1998
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON SCHOOL SAFETY
DATE:
LOCATION:
BRIEFING TIME:
EVENT TIME:
FROM:
I.
October 15, 1998
The East Room
12:15 pm - 12:35 pm
12:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Bruce Reed
. Richard Socarides
PURPOSE
To bring together a broad coalition of youth violence experts and advocates, educators,
elected officials, law enforcement, and prevention and intervention practitioners -- as well
as communities across the country through 600 satellite sites -- to discuss and learn more
about what we do to make our schools and communities safer.
II.
BACKGROUND
Although schools are generally safer today than they were just a few years ago-- and
statistics show that students are safer sitting in a classroom than walking down the street
~ there is still much more that can be done to improve school safety and security. In .
particular, the multiple shootings that took place in schools in Pearl,MS, Paducah, KY,
Jonesboro, AK, and Springfield, OR, serve as painful reminders that.no cOInmunity is
imniune from senseless viol~nce -- and thatall communities must do their best to prevent
such tragedies from ever occurring.
At the conference, you will unveil the first Annual Report on School Safety, prepared by·
the Departments of Justice and Education in response to. a directive by you after· the
Paducah shooting last December. The report is intended to give parents, principals and .
policy makers a yearly snapshot of school crime, as well as to provide information on
.
..
.
what practical steps they can take to make th~ir schools safer. [*Key fmdings of the
report are attached.]
In your opening remarks you will announce the following new initiatives that address
many of the problems identified in the Annual Report:
(1) A New Federal Response for Violent Deaths in Schools. You will propose
a $12 million School Emergency Response to Violence -- or. Project SERV -- to
help schools and local communities respond to school-related violent deat~s, such
as those that occurred last year in Jonesboro, Arkansas; Paducah, Kentucky; Pearl,
�, Mississippi; and Springfield, Oregon. Developed with input from local officials
. and educators in these and other communities, Project SERV will enable the
federal government to assist local communities in much the same way FEMA
assists in response to natural disasters.
(2) Targeted Resources for Schools with Serious Crime Problems. To help
give the estimat~d 10% of schools with serious crime problems the tools they
need to put the security of our children first, you will announce a new $65 million
initiative to hire up to 2,000 community police and School Resource Officers to
work in schools -- and to train police, educators and other members of the
community to help recognize the early warning signs of violence. '
(3) Reforms to Help Make All Schools Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free. You
will outline a plan to overhaul the nearly $600 million Safe and Drug-Free .
Schools and Communities Program. Under this new proposal, sc~ools will be
required to adopt rigorous, comprehensive school safety plans that include: tough,
but fair, discipline policies; safe passage to and from schools; effective drug and
violence policies and programs; annual school safety and drug use report cards;
links to after school programs; efforts to involve parents;' and crisis management
. plans.
(4) A Community-Wide Response to School Safety and Youth Violence. To
help communities throughout the country promote a coordinated, comprehensive
response to school safety, you will also launch a new Safe Schools -- Safe
Communities initiative designed to help 10 cities develop and implement
community-wide school safety plans. A minimum of $25 million in discretionary
grants from the Departments of Education, Justice and Health and Human
Services -- or $1-3 milli~n per'site -- will be made available fo~ this initiative.
Finally, you will ,announce a partnership between the federal government and
MTV to engage youth in solutions to violence. Beginning in 1999, MTV will
launch ayear-long media campaign -~ "Fight For Your Rights: Take A Stand
Ag'ainst Youth Violence" -- designed to give young adults a voice in the national
debate onschool and youth violence. Working with the Departments of
Education and Justice, and the National Endowment for the Arts, MTV will
distribute a Youth Action Guide that aims to engage youth in mentoring and other
positive solutions to violence. The guide will be made available through a 1-800
.number at the Justice Department and through MTV .. In an earlier panel, the First
Lady will have introduced one of the MTV media campaign segments.
III.
P ARTICIP ANTS,
Briefing Participants:
Bruce ReedlElena Kagan
Marsha Scott
�Melanne Verveer
Ron Klain
Michael Cohen/Tanya Martin
Richard Socarides
Jose Cerda
Leanne Shimabukuro
Neera Tanden
.Lynn Cutler
Presidential Panel Participants:
The Vice President
The First Lady
Jamon Kent, Superintendent of Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, Oregon
Police Commissioner Paul Evans, Boston, Massachusetts
Mayor Deedee Corradini, Pres. of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, St. Lake City, Utah
Liberty Franklin, National Boys and Girls.Club Youth of the Year, Everett, Washington
Tony Earles, Professor Harvard School of Public Health
Joanna Quintana Barroso, Third Grade Teacher, Coral Way Elementary, Miami, Florida
Representative Bobby Etheridge
IV.
PRESS PLAN
Open Press.
V.
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
- YOU will be announced into the room accompanied by the Vice President and the First
Lady.
- The Vice President makes remarks and introduces YOU.
- YOU will make remarks.
- YOU will make remarks and then take your seat at the fable.
- YOU will then moderate the discussion by calling on each individual.
- YOU, the Vice President, and the First Lady will have the option of asking follow up
questions to each speaker.
[*Suggested speaking order and questions attached.]
VI.
REMARKS
Provided by Speechwriting.
VII.
ATTACHMENTS
- Summary of Key Findings.
- Suggested Sequence of Events;
- Conference Agenda
�, SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS OF THE ANNUAL REPORT
•
Students less likely to be victimized but more likely to feel unsafe. Although the
number of mUltiple homicide ,events at. schools has increased since 1?93 (from 2 to.6 -
and with 4 times as many victims), the overall school crime rate has-actually dropped
(from 164 crimes per 1,000 students in 1993 to about 128 such crimes in 1996).
However, the percentage of students reporting that they felt unsafe at or on their way to
school has increased.
•
Most schools safer than community at large. While the overall level of school and
non-school crime is about the same (about' 3 million crimes in each setting), students are
more than twice as likely to experience serious violent crime while out of school. And
the very worst violent victinuzations -- murders and suicides -- rarely occur in or near
schools. Fewer than l%ofthe 7,357 thousand children who were murdered In 1992-93-
or 63 -- were killed at school.
•
Serious crime and violence concentrated in a small percentage of schools. Only
about 10% of public schools report serious or violent crimes to their .local police .
departments. Nearly half -- or 47% -- of schools report less serious. or non-violent crimes
to police, and 43% report absolutely ~o crimes at all.
•
Violence more likely in larger, urban scho.ols and with older students. One third of
large schools (1,000+ students) report serious violent crimes to police, compared with
less than one tenth of small schools. Also urban schools are twice as likely as rural
schools to report serious violent crimes, and middle and high schools are 4 times more
likely than elementary schools to report such crimes.
•
Fist fights and theft the most common crimes. Overall, physical attacks and fights
without weapons are the crimes most often reported to police by middle and high schools.
Theft is the m~st common school cnme overall. In 1996, less than 10%'ofcrimes against
students were of a serious or violent nature.
•
. Fewer weapons in schools. About 6% of high school seniors -~ iess than in recent years
-- are carrying firearms and other weapons to schools. Also, the percentage of seniors
intentionally injured -- with or without weapons -- has not changed significantly over the
past 20 years.
•
Gang presence nearly doubled. Between 1989 and 1995, the percentage of students
reporting the presence ofstreet gangs in their schools increased from 15% to 28% -
.
. including large increases at urban, suburban and rural sch~ols.
•
Violence and drugs linked. Students who reported-being the victims of violent crimes
at schools were more likely to report the availability of.drugs at school. The presence of
gangs and guns is also related to school crime and the victimization of students.
•
.Teachers often crime victims. On average, 3% of teachers are the victims of violent
crimes, and nearly 5% are the victims of theft at school. .
�"
'I"
, White :House Conference on School Safety:
,
,
Causes and Prevention of Youth Violence
October 15, 1998 -- Program Ag~nda '
7:30 am ;.. 8:30 ani
'
Registration - White Ho~se Conference Center
" ~';:
8:30 am - 9:45 am, '
'Morning Workshop Sessions - White :H:ou~e Conference Center
Preliminary discussion groups with Senior Administration
officials:
1) Education and Safety (Truman Room)' ,
,
Chaired by Secretary; 'ofEducatipn RiChard Riley with Deputy
, Attorney General Eric H Holder, Jr.
2) Early Warning Signs,Me~talHea1th Interventionsand Crisis
'.Response (Jackson Room)
"
: Chaired by Assistant Secretary for Planning & Evaluation
, Margaret Ann Hamburg; MD, U.S. Department ofHealth and,
.
Human Se~~ces '
.,
3) School; COmrhuriity'and Law Enforcement Partnerships
: (Lincoln R09m)
" ,
Chaired by Associate Attorney General Raymond C. Fisher with
, Under Secretary for Enforcement James E. Johnspn, VS.
Department 91 the treasury
4) Causes of Youth Violence in Early quIdhoodDevelopment
(EisetihowerRoo~) . '
,.
,
Chaired by Attorney General Janet Reno with Assistant Secretary
For Elementary & Secondary Education Gerald Tirozzi, U.S.
Department ofEducation
After these sessioils"please/oliow directions to ,the East Visitor
Gate o/tlu~'Wllite House/or the, Morning Plenary Session
�'I
10:30 am -11:30 pm
Session I - White House East Room
Di'scussionofthe Causes of Youth Violence
vi7irst Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton'
vVideoby MTV .
v.A:itomey General Janet Reno .
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'/Secretary of Education Richard R~ ,
vSUzann Wilson, Jonesboro, ~ , .
~ne Wong, D~rector, L.A. School of Mental Health, ,
Valley Branch, CA
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Paul Kingery, Ph.D., Director, Hamilton: Fish National Institute
on School and Community Violence, Rosslyn, ,VA
11 :30 pm - 12:30 pm
Lunch - WhiteHouse State Dinning'Room
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Representative Carolyn McCarthy
Robert Chase, President of the National Educatkm Association
Sandra Feldman; President of the American Federation 'ofTeachers
12:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Session II.- White House East·Room
Remarks by the President and Discussion of Prevention Strategies
Tl1atAddress Youth Violence
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First Lady Hillary RodhamClintori
Vice President of the United States Al Gore
President of the United States William Jefferson Clinton
Jamon Kent, Public Schools Superintendent, Springfield, OR
. Paul Evans, Co~issioner, Boston Police Department~
Boston;·MA
Liberty Franklin, Boys and Girls Club Youth,ofthe Year,
Everett, WA
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Jo~nnaQuintana Ban:oso, Teacher, Coral Way Elementary School,·
Miami, FL
. Tony Earles, Professor, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA .
Mayor peedee Corradini, SaJt Lake City, UT
Representative Bobby Etheridge'
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�2:45 pm - 4:00 pm
Session III - White House East Room
piscussion of Programs that Work to Reduce Youth
Violence
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Attorney General Janet Reno
Secretary of Education Richard Riley
Lynn McDonald, Ph.D.; Founder, Families and Schools Together·
(FAST), Madison, WI
Irma Howard, FAST Graduate, New Orleans, LA
Mariana R.GaSton, Director, Resolving Conflict Creatively
Program, New York, NY
Thomas C. Frazier, Police Commissioner, Baltimore Police
Department, Baltimore, MD
Sandy McBrayer, Executive Director, Children's Initiative, San
Diego, CA
Lt. Gary French, Boston's Operation Ceasefire, Roslindale, MA
4:30 pm - 6:00pm
Reception - Sponsored by the National Educatiofl Association and
the American Federation of Teachers at 1201 16th Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20036
(buses located at the East Visitor Gate on East Executive Avenue
beginning at 4:00 p.m. will take you to the NEA. NEA is providing
buses to bring people back to the White House.)
�PRESIDENTIAL PANEL SEQUENCE
[From the Podiwp]"
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- The VicePtesident makes remarks, introduces the President, and takes a seat at the table.
- The President makes remarks and then takes a seat at the table.
- The President moderates the discussion by calling on each individual to share their
experiences. After each statement, the President, the Vice President, and the First ~ady
will be free to ask follow tip questions. .
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[All panelists and the First Lady will be seated at the table during the opening remarks.]
, Jamon,Ke~t, Superintendent of Silringfi~ld Public Schools, Springfield,Oregon
Superintenderit" Kent has also served as a teacher and principal throughout his 26 years in
education. He lead the community-wide effort to promote school'safety that has been ongoing
since before the shpoting occurred, which includes creating alternative programs for at-risk
students and turn-around programs for students in adjudication or who have been expelled.
POTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: When I visited your community after the shooting
everyone there was, struggling to cope witlt this terrible. tragedy. There was so much
, ,that needed to be done, whic11is one ofthe reasons,why I am proposing afederal
response SER VE team. to help commullities, ill time ofcrisis. Do you feel this type of
federal action would have helped your community?
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FLOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: H.ow did you forge partnerships with the
surrounding commullity before tltis tragedy? How did these partnerships allowyou ~o
better cope with this crisis?
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fPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: 'Call you tell us about how the mental health
community played a role ill iJelpiltg the community heal during this terrible tragedy?
And how didyou reestablishafeelillg ofsafety,alfd security for students when they
returned to school this fall? :
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Police Commissioner Paul Evans,Boston, Massachusetts
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Commissioner Evans led Boston's innovatjve OperationCeasefire, which has dramatically
reduceji youth violence through a comprehensive commUnity approach.
POWS SUGGESTED QUESTION: You have incorporated the principles of
community policing to tlie greatest extent possible. How have police officers adjusted
to their role, in crime prevention?
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, fPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION,: I know the faith community is also very
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involved in your efforts to reduce juvenile' crime.' How kas the faith community worked
with YQU to provide positive opportlillities/or at-risk youih while also holding them
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accountable for thei~ actions?
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FLOTUSSUGGESTED QUESTION:Illitially, did different parts ofthe community'
resist working togetlter? How did you manage to develop these unique bonds in your
community and.what ,suggestioll do you have for other cities?
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,Liberty Franklin, National Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year, Everett, Washington
She turned to the Boys and Girls Club to give her a safe haven where she could learn and grow.
She was raised by a single mother in a housing project with older brothers who were in and out
ofjail. When she joined the Boys and Girls Club in the sixth grade she began to have an adult
mentor who helped her succeed in school and stay out of trouble. She is now a high school senior
with a 3.95 GPA working at Washington Mutual Bank to save money for college. She is
interested in becoming an Orthodontist and providing free care to low-income children.
'POTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: You see up close the issues confronting your
peers. What more do you tMllk adults should do to help young people?
nOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: How specifically has mentoring helped you and
are you mentoring others /low?
VPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: Preside/It Clinton and I have fought hard to
provide children with positive opportunities ill tlte hours after school when most
juvenile crime occurs. Do you think that most young people in your community want
some place to go after SCIIOOI? Do you notice a difference in .what happens to young
, people with access to after school programs and those without?
Joanna Quintana Barroso, 3rd Grade Teacher, Coral Way Elementary, Miami, Florida
Joanna will speak a~out the successful anti-crime efforts at her school including school unifonns,
gun safety curriculum, DARE officers, and alternative classes for at-risk youth. She will talk
about the importance of reducing class size in order to identify troubled youth and for students to
learn well. She will also talk about the business efforts to encourage students to work hard
including Pizza Hut reader of the week awards which entitle students to a free meal and helps to
promote hard work.
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VPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: The President has fought hard to reduce the size
ofclasses nationwide to .all average of 18. I understand your classes have over 30
students in them. How do you think smaller classes would benefit your students?
FLOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: ,Who do you find your students are most
influenced by? Parents? Teachers? Media?
Thelton "Tony" Earles
Professor, Harvard School of Public Health
Conducted research on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods which found that
neighborhood cohesiveness and responsible adult interaction with children reduces juvenile
crimean4 delinquency.
POTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: You have made a strong a strong case for the
importance ofadults taking responsibility to promote positive values in their
community. What do you tMnk the government and other public figures in this
country can do toellcourage parents and other adults to become more involved in the
lives ofchildren?
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FLOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: What dDes YDur researchshDw abDut
cDmmunity invl!lvemelttill the SChDDls and didYDu find that children learn mDre in
. SChDDls where there is active parental in vDlvement i
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Mayor Deedee Corradini, President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, St. Lake City, Utah
Mayor Corradini willpresent the U.S. Conference of Mayors', Action Plan, compiled at the,
recent Mayors C.onferenceon Sch.o.olSafetyin st. Lake City, which describes the unique role of
cities in preventing y.outh v i o l e n c e . , .
POTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: I understand that YDU invited pDlice chiefs to.
YDUr cDnference ti? help cDntribute to. tlte MaYDrs ActiDn Plan. What rDle can maYDrs
play in bringillg tDgether/aw eitfDrcemertt and theeducatiDn community.
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VPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: ThrDugh DurcDmmunity empDWerm{!IIt
strategy, President ClintDIt and I have !Dundthat deferral and IDc~1 gDvernments can
develDp dynamic partnersi,ips to. assist distressed comrp.unities. MaYDr,CDrradini, hDW '
. t;an the jeder,al gDvemmeltt develDp this same typ'e Djpartnership with cities to. address'
YDuth viDlence?
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RepresentativeBobbyEt~eridge, North Carolina
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Rep. Etheridge was elected t.o·the C.ongress in 1996 upon corrip~eting his second t~rm as'
Superintend~rtt .of Public Instruction in N.orth Carolina, a p.ositi.on he had held,since 1988. He has
tw.o children wh.o are-teachers. He lead the eff.ort to bring Scho.ol Resource Officers to the
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maj.ority of his scho.ols and t.o build character educati.on.'
POTUS SUGGESTED QUESTION: Call YDU explain to. us exactly hDW character
educatiDn wDrks, and how did yo,uarrive at this cDncept? What can we dDDn a
natiDnalleVeltD encDurage more.schDDls to. incDrpDrate character educatiDn
initifltives?
JiPOTUS SUGGESTED QUESTioN: HDW did the educatiDn cDm"munity r:eact when'
YDU suggested brillging SChDDI ResDurces Officers into. SChDDls?
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Kendra Brooks - Subject Series
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Domestic Policy Council
Kendra Brooks
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36031" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/647992" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Description
An account of the resource
The Kendra Brooks Subject Files contain correspondence, reports, articles, memos, and various printed material. Other documents include background information for education events and meetings. The files include material pertaining to charter schools, national testing, SAT preparation, school safety, school modernization/construction, affirmative action, Blue Ribbon Schools, class–size reduction, teacher quality, Limited English Proficiency (LEP), the White House Initiative on Education Excellence for Hispanic Americans, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Extent
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157 folders in 16 boxes
Text
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Original Format
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Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[Education - School Safety Planning Meeting Agenda 1998] [1]
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Domestic Policy Council
Kendra Brooks
Subject Files
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 11
<a href="http://clintonlibrary.gov/assets/Documents/Finding-Aids/Systematic/KendraBrookssubjectfile.pdf" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/647992" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Format
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Adobe Acrobat Document
Publisher
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Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Medium
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Reproduction-Reference
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1/17/2012
Source
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647992-education-school-safety-planning-meeting-agenda-1998-1.pdf
647992