Seeking safety from violence.

• Position: School safety

A nationwide survey of students and teachers sponsored by Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., reveals that both groups cited parenting classes and family support services as leading solutions to reducing violence among youth. The findings sharply conflict with current measures--such as security guards and metal detectors--used by some school officials to curb violence.

"Students and teachers are telling us that we must first attack violence at the heart of the problem, and that begins with educating parents on how to teach children to properly resolve conflicts," says Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, which represents the nation's largest urban school districts. "Security measures alone are a Band-Aid to solving the violence problem. We must look at a broad-based approach that includes parental involvement and appropriate safety precautions."

When asked about factors influencing student behavior in their schools, students (53%) and teachers (89%) indicated discipline in the home. Fifty-three percent of students and 71% of teachers listed peer acceptance, while 84% of teachers and 46% of students cited disinterested parents.

Despite the increased attention placed on guns and gangs, less than half the students and teachers place them high on their...