Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Department

Education

First Reader/Committee Chair

Becky Sumbera

Abstract

School shootings have become a pervasive issue in the U.S., impacting both students and educators. Since the Columbine tragedy, an estimated 187,000 students have experienced campus shootings, reflecting the tragic and often overwhelming nature of this phenomenon (Cox & Rich, 2018). Educators are tasked with devising structured responses to these incidents, facing the challenge of balancing safety with educational goals. While quantitative research on school safety is abundant, limited qualitative insight exists into how school leaders interpret data to design effective safety protocols tailored to their unique environments. This study aims to explore how individual schools perceive their vulnerability, prepare for potential threats, and adapt structures for safety. Research questions focus on educators’ understanding of current and future threats, the strategies in place to address them, and the benefits and challenges of these measures. This research holds particular significance as it directly addresses student safety, a primary school responsibility. According to the Secret Service, school safety is a shared duty across law enforcement, school staff, mental health professionals, and the public (Protecting America’s Schools, 2019). Furthermore, the California Department of Education emphasizes that safety planning must be dynamic, with schools regularly assessing their policies in alignment with changing needs. The study employs Tudor et al.'s (1997) Circuit of Culture to analyze the representation and formation of safety measures within schools, alongside Bandura's Social Learning Theory to examine the role of observational learning in shaping safety behaviors. Ultimately, this research aims to facilitate a collaborative approach among educational sites to enhance preventive and responsive measures, contributing to safer learning environments for American students.

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