SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, HIGH SCHOOL SIZE

SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, HIGH SCHOOL SIZE, and NEUROBIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS
David A. Kaiser PhD
Rochester Institute of Technology , Rochester, New York
Published online: 08 Sep 2008.


http://www.isnr-jnt.org/article/viewFile/16765/10726


To cite this article: David A. Kaiser PhD (2005) School Shootings, High School Size, and Neurobiological
Considerations, Journal of Neurotherapy: Investigations in Neuromodulation, Neurofeedback and Applied
Neuroscience, 9:3, 101-115
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J184v09n03_07

SUMMARY. In the last decade 17 multiple-injury student school shootings
have occurred in the United States, 13 at high schools and 4 at
middle schools. Research suggests that high schools function best academically
as well as socially at enrollments around 600 (150 students
per grade), the natural group size of humans. Eleven of 13 high school
shootings occurred in schools with enrollments over 600 students, and
many with over 1,000 students. Violent and antisocial behavior is associated
with deficits in social information processing, which is necessarily
exacerbated by complex social environments. School shootings may
be in part a response to the unprecedented social complexity of large
schools. Median public high school enrollment now stands at 1,200 in
suburbs and 1,600 in cities despite the fact that smaller schools are superior
to large schools on nearly all academic and social measures of success
including graduation rate, student satisfaction, conduct infractions,
athletic participation, absenteeism, and dropout rate. Educational institutions
should adapt to the neurobiological limitations of children instead of forcing children to adapt to the unnatural requirements of such institutions.

Excerpt:

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
JA
X-NONE

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}

Reducing school size to
within children’s neurobiological capabilities is a universal prevention, a
proactive method of reducing violence and improving intellectual, emotional,
and social development.

When groups are small enough for members to
know one another, they are more apt and able to police themselves.

When natural group sizes are exceeded, formal institutions of behavioral
control are necessary, which can be both expensive and ineffective.

Some communities have experimented with a schools-within-a-school approach,
dividing large student bodies into smaller operational units with dedicated
academic and administrative personnel. BUT common areas (gym, cafeteria,
entrance) often remain shared by the entire student body, undermining group
cohesion, and

students in physically large schools rarely possess the freedoms and
responsibilities of students in smaller schools, regardless of administrative
strategy.

We need to build smaller schools, more schools, and roll back the consolidation
of the past half century.
(spacing and capitalization added)

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
JA
X-NONE

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}