Some sobering results have been released as part of a special study commissioned by the National Teachers Hall of Fame.
“The Voice of the National Memorial to Fallen Educators: A Unique Perspective on School Safety” dives into the causes of death for school teachers and support staffers throughout our nation’s history, especially as deaths increased from 1990 through the 2010s. On KVOE’s Talk of Emporia recently, longtime National Teachers Hall of Fame board member Ken Weaver said there are basically two different categories — accidents and homicides with several subcategories involved. Homicides by firearm outweigh all other causes combined, with over 50 such cases since 1990. Vehicle crashes are second with nine.
An unnerving corollary to the firearm violence is when the crimes occur.
In fact, staff deaths by gunfire total 39 from December through May, typically considered the second half of the academic year — and 12 from June through November.
The report says school districts need to have safety measures in place to prevent and respond to violence, especially in the second half of the school year when most shootings have taken place. However, schools also need to have well-maintained infrastructure, procedures in place to safely handle all hazardous materials and screening assessments for bus drivers and other personnel.
The study, available online at www.nthfmemorial.org/fallen-educators/ or by calling the Hall of Fame at 341-5660, includes information from 1990 through the 2010s from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Homeland Security, National Association of School Psychologists, Federal Commission on School Safety and Secret Service.
