WCRIS staff attended a virtual national school safety summit this week, so you didn’t have to. Key takeaways:
- Extremist groups are targeting students through online websites like Reddit, 4chan, and even online multiplayer games.
- While boys were traditionally targeted by extremist groups, there is now a rise in the recruitment of girls.
- Not all extremism is tied to race or religion. There has been a rise in “gender supremacy” or groups that feel one gender is superior to another.
- School Safety drills work. In a study, researchers found that as more drills were conducted the compliance rate went up. This meant that staff and students were safer.
- With the proper communication and considerations for sensitive student populations, drills did not cause serious psychological harm.
- It is not recommended to use blanks or “simmuniton” and guns during a safety drill.
