school safety

In 2021, Illinois launched “Safe2Help.” It’s a hotline students can use to raise red flags about themselves or friends suffering from bullying or depression. How much have students used the service? Peter Medlin reports…

New federal data shows that in the 2021-22 school year, there were nearly 200 school shootings with fatalities. That’s the largest number ever. WNIJ’s Peter Medlin reports that in the new school year, many districts are investing in new school safety training and technology…And a note for listeners: this story includes descriptions of violence.

Last week, police in 19 Illinois counties received false school shooting threats, known as swatting, on the same day.

Several Illinois school districts received false school shooting threats on Wednesday. The "swatting" incidents spread real terror and trauma for students, staff and families.

“Last week, a student made threats to a teacher and said he is conducting a survey with other students to figure out which teacher he should kill. A co-worker reported this incident to the principal and other management at the district. Nothing has been done and the student is back in class," said one teacher.

“The internet allows us to connect to a lot of really great important information, and kids are less likely to access it if they know that they're being surveilled," says Cody Venzke at the Center for Democracy & Technology. But school technology officials say the benefits outweigh the concerns.

This year, there have been nearly 100 gunfire incidents on school property in America. There have been at least three incidents of gun violence on school grounds just in the WNIJ listening area of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Peden says to make sure students have trusted adults they can talk to and who will take them seriously when they say they’ve seen or heard something strange. And, she says, if an adult notices there’s something a little off or different with their student, don’t sweep it under the rug.

Three years ago, there was a school shooting at Dixon High School. It ended before any students could be hurt. Because of that incident, Dixon was asked…

How have Christian schools been doing during the pandemic? Well, it depends on when you ask. After the spring upended education along with the entire…