Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2013

by Rachel E. Morgan, Ph.D., BJS Statistician, Jana Kemp, Amy Rathbun, and Simone Robers, American Institutes for Research, Thomas D. Synder, National Center for Education Statistics The Bureau of Justice Statistics, in collaboration with the National Center for Education Statistics, has released "Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2013." This annual report provides the most recent data on school crime and student safety. The indicators in this report are based on a variety data sources, including national surveys of students, teachers, principals, and postsecondary ...

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The Problem of Campus Sexual Assault

Stop Campus Sexual Assault

Recently, a friend and fellow University of Chicago alumna showed me an open letter to university president Robert Zimmer demanding that the university reevaluate its policy regarding campus sexual assaults. After reporting an assault by her then-partner and being illegally offered a mediation session by Dean of Students Susan Art, current fourth-year student Olivia Ortiz filed a complaint with the United States Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR), prompting a larger investigation of the university for possible violations of Title IX. In response, a coalition of alumni wrote and circulated the letter in question. I gladly added my name.

Though I am heartbroken to read about my beloved alma mater's betrayal of sexual assault victims, I am not surprised. Campus sexual assaults are chillingly common, according to the Department of Education's 2011 Dear Colleague Letter: Sexual Violence Background, Summary, and Fast Facts (found on Marsh Law Firm's roundup of Title IX resources):

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Research Brief: Suicide and Bullying

In a recent blog post for stopbullying.gov, the authors review the literature to determine possible links between bullying and suicide in children and youth.They conclude that many factors may increase a youth’s risk of suicide—including mental health history, family history of suicide or child maltreatment, alcohol and substance abuse, and isolation—and caution against assuming there are “simple” causes for suicidal thoughts or behavior. Check out the post here.

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Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying

Emily Bazelon has written a timely groundbreaking book on bullying, its root problems and real-world solutions. Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy defines what bullying is and, just as important, what it is not. Bazelon explores when intervention is essential and when kids should be given the freedom to fend for themselves. She also dispels persistent myths: that girls bully more than boys, that online and in-person bullying are entirely distinct, that bullying is a common cause of suicide, and that ...

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Today’s Outrage (on a weekend no less)

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School district calls 12-year-old rape victim ‘negligent’ and ‘careless’ in her own abuse (via Raw Story )

The Moraga School District in Moraga, California alleged that a 12-year-old girl, who suffered prolonged sexual abuse at the hands of two different middle school teachers in the 1990s, was “negligent,” “careless” and “was herself responsible for the acts and damages of which she claims.”…

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Teacher Creates Child Sex Abuse Images of Third Graders

Last month, the Marsh Law Firm received a disturbing email from the parent of a child whose teacher took child sex abuse images of her and her fellow third graders in school during the school day. We immediately contacted attorney Douglas Fierberg who has extensive experience litigating against school districts across the country. A lawsuit against the Hildebran, North Carolina school district was filed earlier today. FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT FILED BY HILDEBRAN, NORTH CAROLINA NINE YEAR OLD STUDENT WHO WAS SEXUALLY MOLESTED AND VIDEOTAPED BY TEACHER WHO ABUSED ...

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Texas Teacher Loses Job After She Has Kids Hit 6-Year-Old Class “Bully”

Guest entry by Amanda Dove Please visit Stop Bullying for more information about bullying and some measures you can use to help prevent it. Please contact the Maryland assault lawyers and Virginia assault lawyers of Price Benowitz LLP for more information. In many superhero films, villains seem to share a lot of similar characteristics: a sinister appearance, an evil laugh, and the insatiable desire to take over the world. The line between good and evil is always clearly drawn in these films, making it hard to confuse the two, but unfortunately, reality rarely works in ...

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