Why Is School Safety Important?

By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015

School safety is vital because children, teachers, administrators and parents can concentrate on developing and maintaining an optimal learning environment when everyone feels safe. The topic of school safety and the amount of energy school districts give to it is greater as of 2014 than it used to be, due to increased incidents of school violence and shootings compared to previous decades.

Preventing dangerous people from getting into a school building and promoting a physically safe environment helps put students at ease. Schools struggle to get kids to want to learn and to concentrate on education without worries about safety. Concerns about physical safety can distract students, cause emotional distress and take up mental energy.

Emotional safety has become an important topic as well. Schools invest time in sharing character education and teaching students not to emotionally abuse or bully peers. Emotional safety is especially important because it is often difficult for teachers and parents to detect. Bullying can cause victimized students to suffer from lower self-esteem and daily stress about their well-being.

Safety is also important to school boards and administrators because of the risks of legal action. If parents don’t feel that enough has been done enough to protect a student harmed on school property, they may sue for damages.