Violence Directed Against K-12 Teachers Task Force

Classroom Violence Directed Against Teachers Task Force

Task force members were selected based on their expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Preventing classroom violence.

• Coping with the occurrence and threat of violent incidents in schools.

• Translating psychological science into accessible ideas and materials for teachers.

The first task force meeting occurred on September 25-26, 2008. The task force reviewed the extant literature on the prevalence of violence, intimidation, and bullying directed toward elementary and secondary teachers in the United States. A dearth of literature has been conducted on predictors of violence against teachers. Drawing upon research that has documented associations between school engagement and time on task and aggression behaviors in the classrooms, the task force is operating under the assumption that classroom practices and school-wide policies that foster academic achievement will minimize the incidence of violence against teachers.

The task force is producing a white paper addressing the current state of the literature on the topic. In addition, a survey of nearly 5,000 teachers was conducted and survey results will be posted during the fall of 2010.

• Understanding and Preventing Violence Directed Against Teachers
  This report presents the magnitude of the violence currently directed against K-12 teachers, highlights what is known about potential predictors of violence directed against K-12 teachers, proposes some potential strategies designed to promote safe classrooms and schools, and encourages a national research agenda for guiding future policy.

• Violence Against Teachers: A Silent National Crisis
  Examining the factors that lead to teacher victimization.

Resources for Teachers

• K-12 Classroom Management Resources from CPSE
  The APA Center for Psychology in Schools and Education (CPSE) offers the following resources for improving K-12 classroom management.

• Students Who Feel Connected to Peers, Teachers are More Inclined to Warn of Dangerous Fellow Student
  Zero tolerance policies can work against cohesion in schools.

• APA Zero Tolerance Task Force Report
  Zero tolerance policies to stop drug use and curtail unruly and violent behavior in schools are not as successful as believed in creating safer environments to learn.