When Students Pack Weapons

Most students bring pencils, notebooks and textbooks to high school, but one in seven Los Angeles secondary students has occasionally carried a weapon on campus as well, primarily for self-protection, they say. Of all the alarming things that happen at our schools, few could be more chilling than this.

The startling statistic comes from a study conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union, with the help of researchers from USC and Cal State L.A. and financed by the California Wellness Foundation. More than 1,800 senior high school students were interviewed at 11 regular campuses and several continuation schools.

The Los Angeles school district has a zero-tolerance policy on weapons. School safety rules ban guns, knives, sharpened screwdrivers and all other weapons. So why did 13.9% of L.A.’s high school students say they felt the need to come to school armed at least once in their high school careers? Fear seems to be the main reason, and an apparent sense that they would not be safe even under the protection of school officials.

But the school administrations do have programs to forestall violence. District security officers stage random searches with metal detectors. A student caught bringing a weapon to school is expelled. To discourage violence, some schools search lockers, offer rewards for tips and enforce a strict dress code that bans gang-style clothing.

Nevertheless, nearly half of the surveyed students said they were not aware of the random search policy. School administrators should get the word out, make it clear and conduct even more searches.

Some campuses teach students how to solve a problem promptly and calmly, before it escalates to the point of violence. Trained student mediators and peer counselors are used, as well as cultural diversity sessions aimed at reducing racial and ethnic tensions.

These are good initiatives, but clearly still not enough in a school system where violence, gang rivalries and drug problems tend to be everyday realities.