Few school boards worry about violence

Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — School shootings may loom large in the public’s mind, but school board members have bigger problems — only one in nine says school violence is a "major concern."

A survey released Tuesday by the National School Boards Association shows its members consider student achievement, special education, teacher shortages and balancing the budget more pressing issues.

The majority — about 77 percent — say school violence is only a "moderate" or "mild" concern.

"Most smaller school districts would say it’s a serious issue, but not as urgent as other issues, such as funding," said Tom Bennett, chairman of the Coos Bay, Ore., school board. "We believe we’ve got adequate safeguards, and we know our students better."

The survey of 837 board members suggests that while high-profile school shootings in Colorado, Oregon, California and Kentucky have made national news, raising tests scores and hiring enough teachers are "the real issues that schools are dealing with day in and day out," said survey author Frederick Hess.

Hess, an assistant professor of education and politics at the University of Virginia, said student achievement hadn’t ranked as high in similar surveys of board members taken in the past, suggesting that efforts to raise students’ basic abilities in reading, math and other subjects are taking hold.

There are nearly 15,000 school systems nationwide. Most, about 85 percent, enroll fewer than 5,000 students and elect their school boards.

Copyright ©2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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