Citation

Finley LL. J. School Violence 2003; 2(2): 51-66.

Affiliation

Western Michigan University

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1300/J202v02n02_04

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Although incidents such as Columbine focused the world's attention on school violence issues, research to date has generally focused on administrators' understanding of school problems. Teachers' perceptions have rarely been included in the literature. This is a glaring omission, as teachers play an integral role in creating a healthy school environment that can prevent or control violent disruptions. This paper presents results of focus group sessions conducted with high school teachers in a small, rural school district. It addresses their understanding of school violence, reactions to actual incidents or the fear of such occurrences, and their perceptions of the role of school climate.