While the hallways may be filled with lockers and laughter, a startling 71% of public schools experienced at least one violent incident in a single school year, revealing an unsettling reality about safety within our education system.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2019-20 school year, 71% of public schools experienced at least one violent incident
- During 2017-18, there were 828,700 victimizations of students ages 12-18 at school
- In 2021, 15% of students aged 12-18 reported being victimized at school physically
- In 2019-20, theft victimization at school for students 12-18 was 49 per 1,000
- 53% of public schools reported vandalism incidents in 2020-21
- Total thefts at school: 374,400 for ages 12-18 in 2019
- In 2019-20, 4% of public schools reported weapons possession incidents
- Students 12-18: 3 weapons victimizations per 1,000 at school (2019)
- Guns brought to school: 2% of high school students (YRBS 2019)
- In 2020-21, 3% of schools reported illegal drugs possession
- 4% of students 12-18 victimized by drug theft at school (2019)
- High school students selling drugs at school: 3% (YRBS 2019)
- In 2019-20, 23% of students reported bullying at school
- Cyberbullying victimization: 15% of 12-18 year olds (2019)
- 20% of high school students bullied on school property (YRBS 2019)
Public schools face widespread crime including frequent violence and theft.
Bullying
- In 2019-20, 23% of students reported bullying at school
- Cyberbullying victimization: 15% of 12-18 year olds (2019)
- 20% of high school students bullied on school property (YRBS 2019)
- Male students bullied: 22% (2018-19 NSCH)
- 37% of schools had bullying problems (2020-21)
- LGBTQ students bullying rate: 40% at school (2019 GLSEN)
- Physical bullying: 9% of students (2019 NSCH)
- Verbal bullying highest in middle schools: 28% (2019)
- Black students bullied: 25% (2020)
- Rural bullying: 21% of students (2019)
- Female students: 24% bullied (YRBS 2021)
- Hispanic bullying victimization: 23% (2018-19)
- Cyberbullying via social media: 16% (2019 CDC)
- White students bullying: 20% (2019 NSCH)
- Charter schools bullying reports: 26% (2020)
- Bullying leading to school avoidance: 12% (2019)
- Gang bullying in 10% urban schools (2019)
- Elementary bullying: 18% (2019 NSCH)
- Suburban bullying rate: 22% (2020)
- Repeated bullying: 6% of students (2019)
- Bullying assaults: 5% linked to fights (2021)
- 30% of bullied students feared for safety (2019 GLSEN)
- Social bullying highest among girls: 27% (YRBS 2019)
- Post-COVID bullying up 15% (2022 survey)
Bullying Interpretation
While the numbers shift depending on who you are and where you learn, the grim reality is that bullying remains a pervasive and varied epidemic, proving that for many students, school is less a sanctuary of learning and more a daily trial by social fire.
Drug and Alcohol Violations
- In 2020-21, 3% of schools reported illegal drugs possession
- 4% of students 12-18 victimized by drug theft at school (2019)
- High school students selling drugs at school: 3% (YRBS 2019)
- Alcohol use on school property: 5% of students (2019 YRBS)
- Marijuana possession incidents: 2 per 1,000 students (2020)
- 8% of public schools had drug-related police actions (2019-20)
- Middle school drug violations: 1.5 per 1,000 (2018-19)
- Urban schools drug possession: 5% (2021)
- Opioid incidents in schools doubled 2015-2020
- Male students drug use at school: 6% (2019 YRBS)
- Vaping drug violations: 10% of high schools (2021)
- Black students drug arrests at school: 2 per 1,000 (2019)
- Rural drug possession: 2% of schools (2020)
- 7% of 12th graders used alcohol at school (2019 MTF)
- Hispanic students: 4% drug possession (2018-19)
- Charter schools drug incidents: 3 per 1,000 (2020)
- Female students alcohol at school: 4% (2021 YRBS)
- White students drug violations: 3 per 1,000 (2019)
- Elementary drug incidents rare: 0.5 per 1,000 (2019)
- Suburban drug possession: 3% (2020)
- Prescription drug theft at school: 1% students (NSCH 2019)
- 15% rise in school drug violations 2020-2022
- 2% of students used illicit drugs on school property daily (2019)
Drug and Alcohol Violations Interpretation
It seems our schools are hosting a deeply concerning bazaar where, amidst a troubling rise in violations and disparities, everything from vape pens to opioids is unfortunately on the curriculum.
Physical Attacks and Fights
- In the 2019-20 school year, 71% of public schools experienced at least one violent incident
- During 2017-18, there were 828,700 victimizations of students ages 12-18 at school
- In 2021, 15% of students aged 12-18 reported being victimized at school physically
- Public high schools reported 24 incidents of physical attacks per 1,000 students in 2019-20
- 46% of public schools had at least one physical fight without weapon in 2020-21
- Student victimization rate for simple assault at school was 25 per 1,000 in 2019
- In 2018-19, 20% of high school students were in physical fights at school
- Male students aged 12-18 had 35 victimizations per 1,000 at school in 2019-20
- 12% of students reported being pushed, shoved, or hit at school in past year (2019 YRBS)
- Serious violent victimization at school for 12-18 year olds: 6 per 1,000 in 2019
- 39% of schools reported fights with injuries in 2019-20
- Black students had 42 victimizations per 1,000 at school in 2018-19
- In urban schools, physical attack incidents totaled 15 per 1,000 students (2020)
- 8% of 9th-12th graders in physical fights on school property (2021 YRBS)
- Teachers reported 22% exposure to physical attacks in 2017-18
- Hispanic students: 28 victimizations per 1,000 at school (2019)
- Middle schools had 30 incidents per 1,000 for fights in 2019-20
- 5% of students seriously hurt in school fights annually (2018-19)
- White students: 20 per 1,000 victimization rate at school (2020)
- 25% increase in school fights post-COVID in 2021-22 surveys
- Elementary schools: 10 physical attacks per 1,000 (2019)
- Female students: 18 victimizations per 1,000 from assaults (2019-20)
- Rural schools: 12 fights per 1,000 students (2020)
- 14% of students bullied physically at school (2019 NSCH)
- Suburban schools reported 22 incidents per 1,000 (2018-19)
- 7 per 1,000 serious assaults at school for 12-18 (2017-18)
- Gang-related fights in 5% of high schools (2019 survey)
- 11% of 12th graders in fights at school (YRBS 2019)
- Charter schools: 35 victimizations per 1,000 (2020)
- Traditional public schools: 24 fights per 1,000 (2019-20)
Physical Attacks and Fights Interpretation
Though these statistics paint a concerning picture of school safety, where nearly three-quarters of schools report violent incidents and physical altercations remain a stubbornly common experience, the data crucially shows that the vast majority of these events are non-serious scuffles rather than life-threatening attacks.
Theft and Vandalism
- In 2019-20, theft victimization at school for students 12-18 was 49 per 1,000
- 53% of public schools reported vandalism incidents in 2020-21
- Total thefts at school: 374,400 for ages 12-18 in 2019
- High schools had 62 thefts per 1,000 students (2018-19)
- 28% of students reported theft of personal items at school (YRBS 2019)
- Vandalism cost public schools $100 million annually (2019 est.)
- Urban schools: 55 theft victimizations per 1,000 (2020)
- 40% of schools experienced theft of school property in 2019-20
- Middle school theft rate: 45 per 1,000 (2017-18)
- Black students: 60 thefts per 1,000 at school (2019)
- Property crime total at schools: 1.2 million incidents (2019 NCVS)
- 15% of high schoolers had belongings stolen (2021 YRBS)
- Rural schools vandalism: 20 per 1,000 students (2020)
- Female students theft victimization: 52 per 1,000 (2019-20)
- Hispanic students: 48 thefts per 1,000 (2018-19)
- Elementary thefts: 30 per 1,000 (2019)
- 35% of charter schools reported increased vandalism (2021)
- White students: 40 theft victimizations per 1,000 (2020)
- Suburban theft rate: 50 per 1,000 (2019-20)
- 22% of students experienced theft >$50 value at school (NSCH 2019)
- Post-COVID theft reports up 18% in schools (2022 survey)
- Male students: 46 thefts per 1,000 (2019)
- 12% of schools had thefts leading to police reports (2020)
- Graffiti vandalism in 25% of urban high schools (2019)
Theft and Vandalism Interpretation
These statistics suggest that American schools, while focused on education, are also running a distressing and costly side-business in property crime, with theft and vandalism acting as an unofficial, and wildly expensive, extracurricular activity.
Weapons Incidents
- In 2019-20, 4% of public schools reported weapons possession incidents
- Students 12-18: 3 weapons victimizations per 1,000 at school (2019)
- Guns brought to school: 2% of high school students (YRBS 2019)
- 1,100 firearms seized in schools annually (2019-20 FBI)
- Knives/other weapons: 6 per 1,000 students (2020 SSOCS)
- High schools: 12 weapons incidents per 1,000 (2018-19)
- Male students carrying weapons at school: 4% (2019 YRBS)
- Urban schools weapons possession: 5% of schools (2021)
- 0.5 per 1,000 gun-related threats at school (2019-20)
- Middle schools: 8 weapons violations per 1,000 (2017-18)
- Black students: 5 weapons victimizations per 1,000 (2019)
- 135 school shooting incidents 2018-2022 (EVG)
- Rural weapons possession: 2 per 1,000 (2020)
- Female students weapons at school: 1% (2021 YRBS)
- 3% of schools expelled for weapons (2019-20)
- Hispanic students: 4 per 1,000 weapons incidents (2018-19)
- Charter schools weapons: 6 per 1,000 (2020)
- White students weapons victimization: 2 per 1,000 (2019)
- 25% increase in weapons seizures post-2020
- Elementary weapons incidents: 1 per 1,000 (2019)
- Suburban schools: 3 weapons possessions per 1,000 (2020)
- 1.2% of 9-12 graders carried gun on school property (2019 YRBS)
- School resource officers seized 1,200 weapons in 2019
Weapons Incidents Interpretation
The data paints a grimly optimistic picture: while the vast majority of schools are thankfully free from weapons, a persistent and disproportionately affected minority of students creates a climate where 'See Something, Say Something' is a necessary and tragically serious mantra.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NCESnces.ed.govVisit source
- Reference 2BJSbjs.ojp.govVisit source
- Reference 3CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 4MCHBmchb.tvisdata.hrsa.govVisit source
- Reference 5FBIfbi.govVisit source
- Reference 6EVERYTOWNRESEARCHeverytownresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 7COPScops.usdoj.govVisit source
- Reference 8NIDAnida.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 9DRUGABUSEdrugabuse.govVisit source
- Reference 10GLSENglsen.orgVisit source
- Reference 11OJPojp.govVisit source