Citation

DeBarr KA, Pettit ML. J. Sch. Health 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, American School Health Association, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/josh.13284

PMID

36377072

Abstract

Our nation is sharply divided when it comes to the issue of gun control. Meanwhile, mass school shootings in the United States are now commonplace. In fact, according to Education Week,1 this year alone, there have been 27 school shootings as of the end of May 2022. The most recent mass school shooting occurred on May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, resulting in 21 deaths. There was no school police officer present at the time the carnage began, and it took over 45 minutes after the first 911 call from inside the school for officers on the premises to act.2 This tragedy reignited attention toward school violence and the need for school resource officers (SROs) who are adequately trained to perform their responsibilities. This commentary aims to discuss the roles and training needs of SROs in addressing school violence.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines school violence as "violent acts that disrupt learning and have a negative effect on students, schools, and the broader community."3 The CDC's 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey identified 5 types of violence most frequently seen in high school students. These include: bullying and cyberbullying, fighting, use of weapons, gang violence, and sexual violence.3

Despite the lull in school violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, a surge in violence (eg, riots,4 mass shootings,5 domestic violence6) was witnessed in communities throughout the United States. Unfortunately, community violence gives rise to school violence and thus--a key concern for public health professionals. In fact, school violence continues to trend high and steady,7 affecting the lives of countless youth, their families, their school communities, and their communities at large. In fact, according to the CDC,8 nearly half of all teens experience some form of violence. Unfortunately, the sequelae of school violence are far-reaching and include cognitive, emotional, and physical effects...

Language: en