Jun 17, 2022, 2:40 PM
(from TIME) Fear of school shootings has turned school security into a booming industry. The market for school security equipment and services reached $2.7 billion in 2017, and that was before the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. But experts say it’s not clear what measures actually make schools safer. The number of shootings with casualties at K-12 schools has increased since the 2012-13 school year, when there were 22 shootings, and reached 93 shootings in 2020-21, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Some research has shown that students and staff report higher levels of fear in schools with visible security measures. Social-emotional learning may help students deal with negative emotions, encourage supportive teacher-student relationships, and create a cohesive school environment, which has been shown to minimize bullying and behavioral problems.
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