Public School Safety

A troubling report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that individuals with a history of sexual misconduct were working in some neighborhood schools. Even more concerning, some were able to obtain new teaching or staff positions after behaving inappropriately toward children in other school districts. The report identified numerous breakdowns in hiring practices that allowed these individuals back into schools because of incomplete background checks, poor record sharing, and administrative loopholes.

More than a decade later, the issue remains an important school safety concern. While states have strengthened hiring laws and school districts have improved screening procedures, experts agree that vigilance remains essential. Schools today are expected to conduct far more comprehensive background investigations than they did when the original GAO report was released, but inconsistencies between states and districts still exist.

Parents who want to better understand educator screening practices can also read Public School Review's guide to Should Schools Conduct Background Checks on Teachers?.

The GAO Report

The original report released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office examined 15 case studies involving public schools that employed individuals with troubling histories. According to the investigation, 11 of the employees had previously engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct involving children. In six of those cases, the individuals went on to abuse children again after obtaining employment in another school district.

The report was prepared in response to growing concerns about weaknesses in school hiring practices and followed earlier federal research highlighting educator sexual misconduct as

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

One of the challenges facing many public schools today is how to keep crime out of schools so that learning can take place more effectively. To address this need, many school districts across the country have created their own police departments, with law enforcement officials who do everything from teaching anti-drug classes to making arrests when necessary. These officers work with students and faculty every day, developing a rapport with students and heading many potential problems off at the pass.

The role of school-based law enforcement remains significant in 2026. The most recent national data from the National Center for Education Statistics show that 48% of public schools had a school resource officer present at least once a week during the 2023-24 school year.

This video explains why police add to school safety.

However, severe budget cuts at many schools have forced some districts to take a closer look at these police departments, even cutting staff in some areas. These decisions have not gone over well with school administrators, who believe officers are essential for maintaining a safe environment where students can come to learn every day.

On the other hand, districts with budgets intact have found ways to use law enforcement officials even more effectively, adding to their list of responsibilities to expand

When parents send their children to school in the morning, most assume their kids will not be exposed to drugs, alcohol or gang activity on campus. They believe schools are a relatively safe environment, dedicated to the task of teaching children the basic academic disciplines and preparing them for productive, prosperous adulthood. Unfortunately, new findings suggest that alcohol and drug use, as well as gang activity, may be more prevalent in public schools than parents realize.

Concerning Numbers from Recent Survey

A recent report by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) showed potentially disturbing findings. According to the study, as many as one in four middle and high school students have reported the presence of both drugs and gangs on their campuses. An analysis in the Los Angeles Times deduced that approximately 5.7 million students across the country are also more likely to drink, smoke and use drugs than students at private and parochial schools, where drugs and gangs are virtually non-existent.

Former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, Joseph Califano Jr., is responsible for the study. Califano told WebMD that the prevalence of drugs and gang activity is a cancer in public schools. Califano adds, "It is just outrageous. It is nothing less than state-sanctioned child abuse to require parents to send their kids to schools where drugs and gangs are present."

Califano told the Los Angeles Times that the

Most parents worry about their children being victimized by the class bully or getting hurt on the playground. Few consider the possibility of a child disappearing while on or near school property. However, that is precisely what happened in an Oregon community in 2010, and it prompted school officials and parents across the country to reexamine how schools protect children during the school day.

The Story of Kyron Horman

Kyron Horman was a second-grade student at Skyline Elementary School in Portland, Oregon. He was last seen by his stepmother heading down the school hallway to his classroom on June 4, 2010. However, when young Kyron did not get off the bus later that afternoon, his family discovered that he had never made it into his classroom that day. Although the teacher marked Kyron absent, the school never notified his parents. That oversight resulted in hours passing before a search could be launched for the little boy.

Kyron was at school early that morning to show off his science fair project on tree frogs. Because the science fair was attended by many students and family members, there were many more people in the school than usual during the early morning hours. The school did not have video cameras and was set on the edge of heavily wooded property, where it would have been relatively easy for a child to disappear or for someone to avoid immediate detection.

This video offers a news report on the disappearance of Kyle Horman.

The consequences for school fights may no longer be limited to a visit to the principal’s office and detention. In recent years, concerns about school safety, social media-fueled conflicts, and high-profile incidents of campus violence have led many districts to involve law enforcement more quickly when fights break out.

Over the past several years, schools across the country have reported fluctuations in student behavior following pandemic-related disruptions. Federal data from the National Center for Education Statistics has shown increases in reported physical altercations and disciplinary incidents during the return to in-person learning.

School Fights: The Rising Threat

Public schools nationwide report more severe punishments for school fights and student misbehavior. For example, in some communities, large-scale fights have required significant police presence. According to reports, the police were called to the school after multiple fights broke out among students.

Students involved faced charges such as disorderly conduct and simple affray. In cases where students allegedly assaulted school resource officers or staff members, more serious charges were added.

While students 18 and older are understandably tried as adults, many community members question whether the 16 and 17-year-old students should have been similarly reprimanded, as they are technically minors.

This video discusses how to deal with fighting in school.

School leaders often argue that when large groups are involved, or when weapons or staff injuries are reported, law enforcement involvement is necessary to protect students and faculty. Critics