Many California public school kids have carried guns — survey

SAN FRANCISCO — One in 20 public junior high and high school students in California reported carrying a gun to school in the past year, according to data available on kidsdata.org of the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health.

Two percent of the 7th-, 9th-, 11th-grade and non-traditional students surveyed between 2011-2013, reported carrying a gun to school once in the past year, 1 percent reported carrying a gun two to three times, and 2 percent reported carrying a gun to school four or more times.

The numbers were substantially higher for students at non-traditional schools (with learning environments different from traditional public schools): 14 percent reported carrying a gun to school in the past year, or one out of seven students.

The numbers match similar statistics available for the nation. Across the country, 5 percent of high school students reported carrying a gun to school during the month preceding the survey, according to a 2012 survey by the Centers for Disease Control (PDF).

School safety is a major public health concern. When students are exposed to violence or feel unsafe at school, it can negatively affect their health and wellbeing as well as their academic performance.

According to the federal government, efforts to improve school safety should include creating positive school climates, strengthening mental health services, improving school discipline policies, preparing schools for emergencies, and supporting evidence-based family and community violence prevention programs.

Strategies to improve school safety also should address bullying and harassment, as it is a pervasive problem affecting the safety of millions of U.S. students. Finally, parents and community leaders should take steps to prevent minors from accessing firearms at home

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