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Student representative reports survey: most students say they feel safe, many do not report upsetting incidents to teachers
Summary
The student representative reported survey results from visits to Pine Tree and Central Valley elementary schools finding high reported feelings of safety but many students said they had experienced upsetting incidents they did not report to teachers; the representative recommended anonymous classroom comment boxes.
The student representative reported results from a classroom survey conducted at Pine Tree and Central Valley elementary schools, saying most students said they feel safe but a notable share said they had experienced upsetting incidents they did not tell a teacher.
On the record, the student representative (identified in the meeting as the student representative, Escobar) said the survey asked students four Likert-scale questions and six yes/no questions. The presentation cited these results: the average response to "How comfortable do you feel at school?" was 3.7 at Pine Tree and 4.0 at Central Valley; responses to "Do you feel safe at school?" had 21 of 24 Central Valley respondents say yes and 15 of 15 Pine Tree respondents say yes. However, when asked whether something had made them upset but they did not tell a teacher, 15 of 20 at Pine Tree and 19 of 25 at Central Valley said yes.
The student representative said many students who did not report upsetting incidents said they avoided doing so because they did not want to be seen as a "snitch" or to "start more drama." To address that concern the representative recommended teachers provide an anonymous classroom comment box (paper slips and a pencil) so students can discretely inform a teacher about problems.
Why it matters: The results highlight student perceptions of safety and also indicate barriers to reporting incidents to staff, which could guide classroom practice and school-based interventions.
Clarifying details
- Surveyed schools: Pine Tree and Central Valley elementary schools (student representative visited additional schools later). - Example outcomes: Comfort average: Pine Tree 3.7, Central Valley 4.0; "Do you feel safe at school?": Central Valley 21/24 yes; Pine Tree 15/15 yes; "Had something make you upset but you didn't tell a teacher?": Pine Tree 15/20 yes; Central Valley 19/25 yes. - Student recommendation: anonymous classroom comment box for discreet reporting; the district's anonymous alert system exists but the student representative proposed a classroom-level option routed directly to the teacher.
Sources and evidence
On-the-record report by the student representative during the meeting; specific numbers and recommendations read into the record by the student representative.
Ending
The student representative said they will expand the survey to additional schools and report back to the board at a future meeting.
