Legislators reconsider violence prevention in schools

(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania lawmakers have struggled to get their arms around the ongoing mental health crisis in the state’s youth population.

Schools often stand as the first line of defense against violence and self-harm, leading some legislators to look for curriculum-based solutions.

The latest such solution is a proposal by Rep. Brian Munroe, D-Warminster, who Tuesday introduced the Student Safety and Violence Education, or SAVE, Act. The bill would require schools to include one hour of social isolation education annually for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Students grades 6th to 12th would be required to complete an additional hour of suicide prevention and violence prevention.

“Students and staff would learn to recognize warning signs of depression, suicide, and self-injury, understand proper reporting procedures, and identify behaviors that may indicate risk to oneself or others,” wrote Munroe of the bill.

Munroe highlighted statistics from the American Psychological As...