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What can your child do to stay safe this school season?

By Oguz Ozdemir

It seems that attending school in America today can sometimes be more of a lesson in survival than in education. Too often headlines show one more student who has shown up for school with weapons and a deadly mindset. With each incident loaming overhead, each day kids go to school they are worrying less about passing the big test and more about making it home alive.

Bringing weapons to school wasn't something that required a policy or procedure when most of us were growing up but today kids have to know what to do in case of a lock down. What can you do to ensure your child's safety during their time at school?

Getting there is the first dilemma that a child and their parent are faced with. No longer is a child safe to walk up to the bus stop or to school alone. The possibility of abduction is not only possible it happens every day. Make sure that your child is among friends as they walk to and from the bus stop. If your child is younger you should either drive them to school or walk them to the bus stop and wait until they are safely on the bus.

Incidents involving drugs, alcohol or weapons are more likely in high schools so make sure that you speak with your teenager on a regular basis so you know the atmosphere at his or her school. Find out if there are gangs, bullies and excessive alcohol or drug use. Find out the names of some of the trusted administrators or advisors that your child can turn to anonymously to report any trouble before it happens.

It used to be that giving a child a cell phone was a matter of popularity but nowadays it may be the only means of communication you could have with your child in the event of an emergency. Get your child a cell phone, even if it is one that is only to be used for emergencies. Make sure that they keep it off during school hours so that it is not taken away.

Make sure that your younger children know their address or at least their phone number. This is vital information that could be helpful in case the child gets lost or there is an emergency situation at school. Speak with your younger children on a regular basis about what they did at school. It is the best way to become aware of any inappropriate behavior or potential bullying going on.

Going to school to get an education should not have to be a matter of survival for children. But the reality is the atmosphere has changed and there is no guarantee it is going back to the more safe and secure mode of years past. That being said, you can still make your child more observant of his or her surroundings and give them a plan to put into place if they need it.

If your child has become victim to any violent or inappropriate behavior while attending school, please contact our law firm at 1-888-LAW-IN-NY. Our legal experts will be happy to advise you of your rights during a complimentary consultation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Oguz Ozdemir

Full post as published by New York City Personal Injury Lawyer on September 08, 2009 (boomark / email).