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Hotline program aims to reduce school violence
Mar 18, 2010 3:54 PM
‘1-866-Speak Up’ provides phone help 24/7
What if you could prevent school violence before it occurs? While that may sound like a job for Superman, it turns out that in 81 percent of cases around the country, students or other community members know of the attackers’ plans beforehand, according to statistics from PAX, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending school violence.
How to turn that knowledge into useful, actionable information and prevent tragedies before they happen is the idea behind a new hotline, announced at a March 1 press conference held by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
The Council-sponsored hotline, called “Speak Up — Save Lives,” will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will be staffed by professional crisis counselors. It is available to students, parents and community members, who can report anonymously on weapons-related and other violent threats.
Quinn was joined by UFT President Michael Mulgrew, who said, “This is a step forward in the urgent task of protecting our children from harm. It’s a win for the students, parents, teachers, school communities and everyone working to nurture, educate and protect the welfare of kids.”
UFT President Michael Mulgrew speaks about the violence hotline at the March 1 press conference.
The hotline is run by PAX, which was founded by Dan Gross, whose brother was murdered on the Observation Deck of the Empire State Building in 1997.
Gross said it was “inspiring” to see the commitment of Quinn and others to reducing weapons-related violence, and emphasized that in many cases, the perpetrators tell someone about their violent plans. He also said that 83 percent of students say they would report another student if they could do so anonymously.
Quinn, joined by city council members and Jackie Rowe Adams, founder of Harlem Mothers Save, said, “school should be a safe haven for students,” and that “too many of our children fear retaliation if they report a violent incident that is about to happen.”
Recalling a visit to Harlem with Rowe, Quinn said they saw signs that said “Don’t Snitch,” which she, Rowe and others painted over.
Calls to the hotline will be referred anonymously to local law enforcement agencies. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said school safety officers will work with PAX to route the calls.
A pilot program involving 10 to 15 schools throughout the city is now under way. While any school can use the hotline, the pilot schools will have additional outreach with posters, wallet cards and teachers discussing the issue in class.
