Targeting student misdeeds

There has been one shooting in a Utah school: six years ago, when a student held classmates hostage in Davis County. Nobody was hurt.

But a look at a new state report of school violence, weapons possession incidents and other mischief shows weapons are carried, and confiscated, on Utah's campuses.

Last school year, school officials reported 580 weapons possessions in Utah's some 800 schools. That's actually down from the 672 reported the year before, according to the State Office of Education's annual "Incidents of Prohibited Behavior in Schools or School-Related Activities" report.

Deseret Morning News graphic Student behavior problems Story continues below Requires Adobe Acrobat.

Last year, school officials reported 66 arsons — up from 49 the year before — and 92 aggravated assaults, which remained stagnant from the 2001-2002 school year.

But drug and alcohol abuse incidents are on the decline, the report shows. In 2001-2002, 1,762 incidents were reported. Last year, the number dropped 23 percent, to 1,357. Tobacco also is down from 777 violations to 640, or a 17 percent decline.

Utah educates 487,000 public school children.

The information could be eye-opening to parents.

"Cumulative like that, the numbers look high," said Susan Chilton, Jordan District coordinator of programs for at-risk students.

"(But) I think schools are the safest places for kids to be. It's not a bad thing we've found these violations; it's a good thing."

Tracking trends