Responding to a Potentially Violent Student
If you are concerned about a student, because of threats or some other indication that he/she might become violent, you should immediately talk with the student or arrange for another member of the school staff to do so. Ideally, your school has a team and procedure in place to deal with threats of violence. If it is determined that the student is at risk and the student refuses to talk, is argumentative, responds defensively, or continues to express violent or dangerous thoughts or plans, arrangements should be made for an immediate evaluation by a mental health professional with experience evaluating children and adolescents. Evaluation of any serious threat must be done in the context of the individual student's past behavior, personality, and current stressors. In an emergency situation or if the student or family refuses help, it may be necessary to contact the local police for assistance or take the child to the nearest emergency room for evaluation. Students who have made serious threats must be carefully supervised while awaiting professional intervention. Immediate evaluation and appropriate ongoing treatment of youngsters who make serious threats or appear to be at risk can help the troubled student and reduce the risk of tragedy.[1]
For more information, see:
Effective Threat Management. Fact Sheet (2000)
National Resource Center for Safe Schools
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2002). Children and Threats: When are They Serious? Facts for Families Series