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Officials say some school safety programs are well established
Police host panel to let parents know what's available
By Jessica Lyons
Exactly one month after the Littleton, Colo. massacre, on May 20, a student opened fire at his high school in Georgia, shooting six schoolmates. Here on the opposite coast, later that same night, the San Jose Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit sponsored an educational forum about school violence prevention programs to prevent similar incidents in San Jose schools.
"We want people to know we have a lot of violence prevention programs going on in our school," said Sgt. Todd Martin, head of the school liaison program. "Ever since Columbine, we've been receiving constant and numerous inquiries asking what we are doing to address school safety, when we've had these programs in place for many years."
These programs include:
*Challenges and Choices, a prevention program designed for third-, fifth-, and seventh-graders, which teaches violence prevention and anger management, and teaches youngsters about choices, consequences, self-esteem, peer pressure and drug abuse.
*Scholastic Crime Stoppers, an anonymous hotline (1-800-903-6789) which students can call if they have information about criminal activity on school grounds.
*S.A.V.E.--Safe Alternatives and Violence Education, a Saturday workshop for students who bring weapons to campus, which they must attend with their parents.
*G.E.A.R.--Gang Education and Alternatives Resources Program, a program to educate students about gangs
The key to all these programs, according to officials, is communication.
"Communication is critical, from police to schools, schools to students, students to other students, and students to parents," says Suzan Stauffer, program manager for S.A.V.E. and Challenges and Choices. "We each need to take ownership and responsibility in our safety. Kids have the responsibility to seek help for their friends, and we as adults have to respond appropriately to our kids concerned."
For more information on violence prevention programs and services, call the SJPD's Crime Prevention Unit, 277-4133, or Parent Education and Resource Link Services (P.E.A.R.L.S.), 277-5339.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
