{"id":72026,"date":"2024-03-12T05:01:49","date_gmt":"2024-03-12T09:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=72026"},"modified":"2024-03-12T05:01:49","modified_gmt":"2024-03-12T09:01:49","slug":"is-the-national-guard-a-solution-to-school-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/is-the-national-guard-a-solution-to-school-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the National Guard a solution to school violence?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Every now and then, an elected official will suggest bringing in the National Guard to deal with violence that seems out of control.<\/p>\n

A city council member in Washington suggested doing so in 2023 to\u00a0combat the city\u2019s rising violence<\/a>. So did a Pennsylvania representative concerned about\u00a0violence in Philadelphia in 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In February 2024, officials in Massachusetts\u00a0requested the National Guard<\/a>\u00a0be deployed to a more unexpected location \u2013\u00a0to a high school<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Brockton High School has been struggling with\u00a0student fights, drug use and disrespect toward staff<\/a>. One school staffer said she was\u00a0trampled by a crowd<\/a>\u00a0rushing to see a fight. Many teachers\u00a0call in sick to work each day<\/a>, leaving the school understaffed.<\/p>\n

As a\u00a0researcher who studies school discipline<\/a>, I know Brockton\u2019s situation is part of a\u00a0national trend of principals and teachers<\/a>\u00a0who have been struggling to deal with perceived\u00a0increases<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0student misbehavior<\/a>\u00a0since the pandemic.<\/p>\n

A review of how the National Guard has been deployed to schools in the past shows the guard can provide service to schools in cases of exceptional need. Yet, doing so does not always end well.<\/p>\n

How have schools used the National Guard before?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In 1957, the National Guard\u00a0blocked nine Black students\u2019 attempts to desegregate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas<\/a>. While the governor claimed this was for safety, the National Guard effectively delayed desegregation of the school \u2013 as did the mobs of white individuals outside. Ironically, weeks later, the National Guard and the U.S. Army would enforce integration and the safety of the \u201cLittle Rock Nine\u201d on\u00a0orders from President Dwight Eisenhower<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One of the most tragic cases of the National Guard in an educational setting came in 1970 at Kent State University. The\u00a0National Guard was brought to campus<\/a>\u00a0to respond to protests over American involvement in the Vietnam War. The guardsmen fatally shot four students.<\/p>\n

In 2012, then-Sen. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat from California,\u00a0proposed funding<\/a>\u00a0to use the National Guard to provide school security in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting. The bill\u00a0was not passed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

More recently, the National Guard\u00a0filled teacher shortages<\/a>\u00a0in New Mexico\u2019s K-12 schools during the quarantines and sickness of the pandemic. While the idea did not catch on nationally, teachers and school personnel in New Mexico generally reported\u00a0positive experiences<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Can the National Guard address school discipline?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The\u00a0National Guard\u2019s mission<\/a>\u00a0includes responding to domestic emergencies. Members of the guard are part-time service members who maintain civilian lives. Some are students themselves in colleges and universities. Does this mission and training position the National Guard to respond to incidents of student misbehavior and school violence?<\/p>\n

On the one hand, New Mexico\u2019s pandemic experience shows the\u00a0National Guard could be a stopgap to staffing shortages in unusual circumstances<\/a>. Similarly, the guards\u2019 eventual role in ensuring student safety\u00a0during school desegregation<\/a>\u00a0in Arkansas demonstrates their potential to address exceptional cases in schools, such as racially motivated mob violence. And, of course, many schools have had military personnel teaching and mentoring through\u00a0Junior ROTC programs<\/a>\u00a0for years.<\/p>\n

Those seeking to bring the National Guard to Brockton High School\u00a0have made similar arguments<\/a>. They note that staffing shortages have contributed to behavior problems.<\/p>\n

One school\u00a0board member stated<\/a>: \u201cI know that the first thought that comes to mind when you hear \u2018National Guard\u2019 is uniform and arms, and that\u2019s not the case. They\u2019re people like us. They\u2019re educated. They\u2019re trained, and we just need their assistance right now. \u2026 We need more staff to support our staff and help the students learn (and) have a safe environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet, there are reasons to question whether calls for the National Guard are the best way to address school misconduct and behavior. First, the National Guard is a temporary measure that does little to address the\u00a0underlying causes of student misbehavior and school violence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Research has shown that students\u00a0benefit from effective teaching<\/a>, meaningful and sustained\u00a0relationships with school personnel<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0positive school environments<\/a>. Such educative and supportive environments have been\u00a0linked to safer schools<\/a>. National Guard members are not trained as educators or counselors and, as a temporary measure, would not remain in the school to establish durable relationships with students.<\/p>\n

What is more, a military presence \u2013 particularly if uniformed or armed \u2013 may make students feel less welcome at school or escalate situations.<\/p>\n

Schools have already seen an increase in militarization. For example, school police departments have gone so far as to acquire\u00a0grenade launchers and mine-resistant armored vehicles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Research has found that school police make students more likely to\u00a0be suspended<\/a>\u00a0and to be\u00a0arrested<\/a>. Similarly, while a National Guard presence may address misbehavior temporarily, their presence could similarly result in students experiencing punitive or exclusionary responses to behavior.<\/p>\n

Students deserve a solution other than the guard<\/strong><\/h4>\n

School violence and disruptions are serious problems\u00a0that can harm students<\/a>. Unfortunately, schools and educators have increasingly\u00a0viewed student misbehavior as a problem<\/a>\u00a0to be dealt with through suspensions and police involvement.<\/p>\n

A number of people \u2013 from the NAACP to the local mayor and other members of the school board \u2013\u00a0have criticized<\/a>\u00a0Brockton\u2019s request for the National Guard. Governor Maura Healey has said she will\u00a0not deploy the guard<\/a>\u00a0to the school.<\/p>\n

However, the case of Brockton High School points to real needs. Educators there, like in other schools nationally, are\u00a0facing a tough situation and perceive a lack of support<\/a>\u00a0and resources.<\/p>\n

Many schools need more teachers and staff. Students need access to mentors and counselors. With these resources, schools can better ensure educators are able to do their jobs without military intervention.<\/p>\n

Author Bio:<\/strong>. Chris Curran is Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Florida<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every now and then, an elected official will suggest bringing in the National Guard to deal with violence that seems out of control. A city council member in Washington suggested doing so in 2023 to\u00a0combat the city\u2019s rising violence. So did a Pennsylvania representative concerned about\u00a0violence in Philadelphia in 2022. In February 2024, officials in […]\n… learn more→<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15645],"tags":[434867],"coauthors":[11733],"class_list":["post-72026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education","tag-school-violence"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nIs the National Guard a solution to school violence? - World leading higher education information and services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/world.edu\/is-the-national-guard-a-solution-to-school-violence\/\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Is the National Guard a solution to school violence? - World leading higher education information and services\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Every now and then, an elected official will suggest bringing in the National Guard to deal with violence that seems out of control. 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