[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 16 (Wednesday, February 23, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
              CONGRESSMAN MFUME SUPPORTS SAFE SCHOOLS ACT

                                 ______


                           HON. KWEISI MFUME

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 23, 1994

  Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, violence in our society has become a national 
crisis. Stories in the press about children as victims of crimes and 
children committing crimes seem to be more frequent and more gruesome. 
Too many American children are raised in neighborhoods fraught with 
drugs and violence, creating escalating cycles of violence. In order to 
help our youth break the cycles of violence, they must be provided a 
quality education. Unfortunately, the education of our young is 
hindered by the plague of drugs and violence in our schools. It is for 
this reason that I strongly support the Safe Schools Act.
  A National School Boards Association survey shows that 82 percent of 
729 school districts responding said that violence in their schools had 
increased over the past 5 years. In 1992, 2 percent of eighth graders, 
4 percent of 10th graders and 3 percent of 12th graders nationwide 
reported that they regularly carried a weapon to school. In addition, 
14 to 19 percent of eighth, 10th and 12th graders reported being 
threatened with a weapon; 25 to 29 percent reported being threatened 
without a weapon; and 5 to 9 percent reported being injured with a 
weapon in school. According to newspaper accounts between 1986 and 1990 
at least 71 persons--65 students and 6 school employees--were killed by 
guns at school, 201 were severely wounded, and 242 were held at 
gunpoint.
  The plague of violence in our schools is epidemic. Although 
responsbility for school safety rests with State and local officials 
and the community, the crisis is overwhelming and financial resources 
and research are inadequate. The Safe Schools Act will provide grants 
to local education agencies which receive, or are eligible to receive, 
grant funds for concentrations of poverty and serve in an area with 
high crime rates. Local education agencies must also assess the 
violence in the schools and communities that will be served, have 
written safety and discipline policies, and explain how activities will 
be corrdinated with its education reform plan.
  The grants included in the Safe Schools Act will support activities 
such as identifying and assessing the violence and discipline problems 
in schools; planning comprehensive, long-term strategies to address 
these problems; educating the community about the agencies safety 
plans, and developing and implementing violence prevention activities 
that may include conflict resolution, disciplinary alternatives to 
expulsion and suspension, peer mediation and counseling, and after 
school programs. Other activities include training staff to deal with 
violent behavior; providing safe passages between home and school, and 
security activities such as installing metal detectors and video 
surveillance devices.
  The Safe Schools Act is long overdue. Our teachers cannot continue to 
attempt to educate our youth with the fear of being threatened or 
attacked by one of their students; children cannot continue to try to 
learn in spite of threat of danger within their own classrooms, and 
parents should not continue to fear for the safety of their children. 
The education of the youth of America has been compromised for far too 
long. The Safe Schools Act will not end the violence our society, but 
it is an important step in curbing the violence to which our children 
are exposed and provide them with a safe haven in which they may learn 
and grow.

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