Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 2, 1994 TAG: 9404020037
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A study by the state Department of Education also shows fewer reports of alcohol possession in schools last year.
In the 1992-93 school year, there were 2,313 incidents of weapon possession in the state's schools, an increase of 297 over the previous year. For the first time, weapons were separated into firearms and non-firearms.
Statewide, about 8 percent of the weapon possession cases, 186, involved guns.
In Western Virginia, Roanoke and Roanoke County reported the most incidents of students possessing firearms, with 11 in the city and five in the county.
In the past two months, Roanoke has expelled two students for possessing a gun on school property. A third was expelled for bringing a knife to school.
Most other school divisions in the region reported three or fewer cases of students bringing guns to schools in the past year.
In the region, Franklin County reported the most cases of possession of knives and other non-firearm weapons, 49. Roanoke County was second with 28; Roanoke had 24 incidents.
Statewide, more students were caught with tobacco or alcohol than with drugs in the past year. There were 9,652 cases of students possessing cigarettes and other tobacco products.
There were 1,102 incidents of alcohol possession, 143 fewer than in the previous year.
As with alcohol, there was a decrease in cases of drug possession - from 803 to 757.
The report on violence and substance abuse is based on data compiled by local school officials and is required by state law. It includes offenses committed on school property, on school buses and at school-sponsored events.
"Schools have to be free of violence and potential harm," said William Bosher, superintendent of public instruction for Virginia. "If students and staff do not feel safe, then English, mathematics, science and social studies do not matter."
Bosher cautioned against making unfair comparisons between school divisions.
"The report only reflects raw numbers," Bosher said. "It doesn't take into account the population differences between the localities."
The report also does not take into account the characteristics of the student body, the demographics of the community or other social and economic factors that might have an impact on school violence, he said.
High numbers may mean that the school division is taking the issue seriously and cracking down on student discipline, Bosher said.
In Western Virginia, Franklin County and Roanoke County reported the most cases of alcohol possession, 30 and 26, respectively. Roanoke County had the most incidents of drug possession, 18.
The report also shows there were 24,067 incidents of fighting between students in 1992-93. The fights resulted in no injury in 87 percent of the cases.
Fights resulted in minor injury 12 percent of the time and in major injury requiring medical attention in 1 percent of the incidents.
This was the first year that statistics on fighting were collected.
Other highlights of the report include:
There were no reported cases of rape, but there were 1,020 incidents of "inappropriate touching" reported. Most incidents involved students touching students, but 22 involved touching of the staff by students.
There was one homicide reported in Virginia schools in 1992-93. The victim was a teacher and the perpetrator was not a student.
Three stabbings and 34 incidents of students or staff injured when struck with an object were reported.
A total of 805 incidents of possession of electronic beepers - banned from campus by state law - were reported.
Bosher said the report shows that violence is a gender issue. Males, particularly middle school males, were most likely to be involved in school violence.
Why middle-schoolers? By the time they reach high school, Bosher said, violence-prone youth may have dropped out, been expelled, or become involved in the juvenile justice system.
The largest number of weapon possessions were reported among eighth-graders, with the second highest incidence at the seventh-grade level. The third highest was among ninth-graders.
by CNB