Students themselves are concerned about violence. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, students are exposed to crime or threats to personal safety at school, at school-related activities during the day, or en route to and from school. And a small but unacceptable percentage of students are victimized on school premises. Students who must think about avoiding harm at school are diverting energy that should be expended on learning. It is the responsibility of us all to ensure our schools are safe so students can fully direct their attention to school work and student activities.

In California, representatives of government, education, and communities are working collaboratively to improve the safety of all children. Legislation (Senate Bill 187, Hughes) signed by the Governor in the Fall of 1997, now requires every public school to have a comprehensive school safety plan. An on-going, systematic and comprehensive process, the school safety plan addresses both short- and long-term strategies to prevent, reduce, and/or eliminate violent attitudes and behaviors in the school. One of its basic goals is to create and maintain a positive and welcoming school climate. A climate that is free of violence, intimidation, fear, and shaming.

Each of us can make a difference, no matter whether we are the Attorney General or a senior at Eastern High. If we care about others, if we say we are sick and fed up with violence and we want to do something for our school, our family, and our community, nobody is out of the picture. Everybody can be involved and make a difference, and by joining together everyone concerned, I think we can put an end to violence. But it needs you. You are the strength of America, you are the future. -U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, address to Eastern Senior High School, Washington, D.C.