the U.S. last year had experienced stressful
situations, or had struggled with substance
abuse or mental health issues.
A separate Secret Service report released in
November found that most students who
committed deadly school attacks over the
past decade were badly bullied, had a history
of disciplinary trouble and their behavior
concerned others but was never reported.
Officials also lauded the work of school
resource officers – police officers who work in
schools and often receive specialized training
to address school violence – and pointed to
several incidents where those officers had built
relationships with students and helped prevent
or stop school shootings. The report said school
districts may want to consider signing specific
agreements with local police to detail the
officers’ duties and expectations or hiring private
security guards.
“If the option that meets the needs of the
school or school district involves placing armed
personnel that are not sworn law enforcement
officers in a school, it is imperative that
those individuals receive training that meets
industry standards and state requirements,” the
report said.
Officials also believe that practice drills,
anonymous reporting systems and increased
coordination with first responders are essential
for schools.
The report also encourages some “defensive
social media monitoring,” which could “provide
constant online scanning of messages within
geofences around a school or school district to
identify threats and at-risk behavior including