April 22, 2000:
On the year anniversary of the tragedy at Columbine, survivors tell their stories.

April 22, 1999:
Candidates for the teacher of the year award speak out on school violence.

April 22, 1999:
President Clinton discusses school violence with high school students.

April 22, 1999:
A background report on the shooting in Littleton, Colorado

April 21, 1999:
Experts discuss clues to teen violence.

March 26,1998:
A panel discussion on the growth of youth violence.

Online NewsHour coverage of social issues, the law and education.

The school shootings in Littleton, Colorado raise a vital question about safety, youth violence and personal responsibility: How has something like this happened -- again?

In a discussion about school violence at TC Williams High School in Alexandria, VA, President Clinton said that nobody believes something like what happened in Littleton could happen in their school. But tragically, it can.

The president applauded TC Williams' strong peer mediation program and a confidential telephone hotline. He said that schools need organized ways for students to express their concerns.

Ideas like these were outlined in The Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools that the U.S. departments of Education and Justice sent to schools across the country last summer.

What do you think can be done to prevent these tragedies? Is there a place for students to talk about their anger or their fears in your school? Send us your comments and we'll post a summary on this page.

The Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools outlines ways to identify risks of violence.

Click here to send in your story and we'll post it here....

COMMUNITIES FIGHTING VIOLENCE

While there are can be no guarantees, many cities around the country are turning to community programs to make hallways and playing fields safe.

The residents of New Haven, Connecticut have come up with a plan that is successfully lowering the levels of violence. How does it work? First, police officers are assigned to neighborhoods, not just for a month or two, but long-term. That way, officers get to know the neighborhood, its problems, and its people, and the residents get to know the police.

Police are also assigned to schools. Five schools have a police man or woman who spends the whole day there, knows the students and can respond if there are any signs of violence.

The police also work with psychologists at the local university, Yale. Doctors and psychiatric social workers are on call 24 hours a day. They are summoned to the scene of a crime to help children deal with the violence. Research shows that young people are more likely to accept violence and act violently if they witness it in a very firsthand way, like when family members commit the violence, or are victims of violence.

Finally, there are mentoring and after-school programs for kids who show signs of violence.

This story was a report on the NewsHour...

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