Although school shootings are a major social issue in the United States, most Washington area parents feel their children are safe at school. According to a poll conducted by The Washington Post and Post-Schar School this spring, about three-quarters of Washington area public and charter school parents said their children are “very safe” or “somewhat safe” from gun violence and other attacks at school. When asked about safety from gun violence, 73% of Northern Virginia, 76% of Maryland, and 70% of D.C. answered positively, for a combined average of 74%.
This evaluation is related to the educational environment of Fairfax and Montgomery County, which are considered the best public-school districts in the country. In this survey, 9 out of 10 parents in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia rated their children’s schools as “excellent” or “good.”
School system reports show that student violence and misconduct have increased nationwide since in-person classes resumed after the pandemic.
A 2024 Gallup poll found that 44% of parents nationwide expressed concern about their children’s safety, one of the highest levels in recent years. The previous high was 55% following the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado in April 1999. Recent data from Montgomery County, Maryland’s most populous county, show that while fights and assaults in schools have decreased since the pandemic, false alarms and bomb threats have increased. The Montgomery school district has recently taken steps to address student misbehaviour by increasing penalties.
The poll surveyed 305 public and charter school parents, including 103 in D.C., 102 in Northern Virginia, and 100 in Maryland, from April 22 to May 4. Although local authorities report that such incidents have decreased in recent years, some parents still worry about safety in schools.
Perceptions of school safety can also vary depending on the demographics of the school. Studies have shown that schools with a high percentage of students of colour are perceived as less safe by white parents than schools with a high percentage of white students.