MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Va. – With kids heading back to school, we know that safety is something you’re concerned about. That’s why 10 News is breaking down the latest documents concerning student safety for Montgomery County Public Schools.
All Virginia Public Schools are required to submit student behavior reports to the state Department of Education every year called Student Behavior and Administrative Response. In the report, it includes things that happened on school property, on buses and during sponsored activities.
The state department is still compiling data for last school year, but 10 News wanted to show you what the Student Behavior and Administrative Response looks like for 2022-2023 for Montgomery County Public Schools.
In the Student Behavior and Administrative Response, one of the more severe categories is the ‘Behaviors to Determine Persistently Dangerous Schools.’ Cases in this category require police involvement. At Christiansburg Primary there was one case where a student had a gun. Meanwhile, there were also two cases of students having drugs with the intention to distribute or sell them. They happened at Blacksburg Middle and Christiansburg High.
Another category in the report is ‘Behaviors that Endanger Self or Others.’ Under this category, there were two cases of students making bomb threats at Blacksburg High that were reported to law enforcement. The division also reported five cases of written threats, intimidation or instigating violence, injury or harm to another student or others. Two happened at Auburn Middle. Other cases happened at Blacksburg High, Blacksburg Middle and Christiansburg High. They were only reported to law enforcement if a staff member was targeted.
In the ‘Behaviors of a Safety Concern’ category, there were more than 140 cases of students shoving, pushing, striking or biting another student with no visible injury. There were also more than 200 cases of kids engaging in reckless behavior that created a risk of injury to themselves or others. The division reported more than 110 cases of students possessing using or distributing tobacco products or paraphernalia, e-cigarettes or vaping equipment. This category does not require law enforcement to be notified.
10 News reached out to Montgomery County Public Schools. Superintendent Bernard Bragen with Montgomery County Public Schools said in a written statement:
Creating a safe environment for our students and staff is one of the most important things we do as a school district. We are committed to continuously assessing and refining our processes and practices to ensure the safest learning environment possible. Each summer, our administrative team works together and in concert with law enforcement to identify and help mitigate any potential risks within our schools. It’s imperative to remain vigilant and adopt a proactive approach for keeping everyone within MCPS safe.
Montgomery County Public Schools