School crime soars in NC public schools. It’s now 38% above pre-pandemic levels.

School crime and student suspensions have continued to soar above pre-pandemic levels in North Carolina’s public schools.

New figures released Wednesday show there were 13,193 reported acts of crime and violence in the 2022-23 school year — an 18% increase over the prior school year.

School crime had been dropping before the pandemic but it’s now 38% above what was reported in the 2018-19 school year.

Students have reported a rise in mental health issues that are blamed for the increases in bad behavior in schools.

“The evidence that you can read in the Consolidated Data Report to the General Assembly clearly highlights the troubles and trauma that are pervasive in our schools and throughout our communities, touching all of us in North Carolina,” State Board of Education chair Eric Davis said Wednesday before receiving the new data.

More guns, controlled substances reported

Sharp rises in categories like possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, sexual offenses and bomb threats helped fuel the statewide increase.

“We recognize that what goes on in our communities comes into our schools and vice versa,” Karen Fairley, executive director of the N.C. Center for Safer Schools, told the state board.

The increase in the number of school resource officers, camera systems and metal detectors could account for more crimes being reported, according to Fairley.

Possession of a controlled substance accounted for 54% of school crimes reported in the 2022-23 school year. There was a 36% increase from the prior year and a 55% increase since the 2018-19 school year.

The state Department of Public Instruction says that the increase in controlled substances may be due to schools being asked to more accurately report cases of vaping.

Possession of a weapon that’s not a firearm is the 2nd-highest reported crime. There’s been a 55% increase since the 2018-19 school year. But it did drop 4% last school year.

Fairley said possession of a weapon that’s not a firearm is the most reported offense in elementary schools. Possession of a controlled substance is the most reported offense in middle schools and high schools.

There were 199 reported acts of possession of a firearm or powerful explosive last school year. That’s a 24% increase from the prior year and a 60% increase since the 2018-19 school year.

Suspensions and expulsions are up

The number of short-term suspensions rose to 247,454 — up 14% compared to the 2021-22 school year. It’s 22% also above pre-pandemic levels.

A short-term suspension lasts up to 10 days. Schools had been trying to reduce out-of-school suspensions to keep students in class and learning.

There was only a 2% increase last year in the number of long-term suspensions. But it’s 21% above pre-pandemic levels.

Expulsions were 33% higher than last school year. It’s more than double pre-pandemic levels.

Some good news in the report

But State Superintendent Catherine Truitt pointed to how there was a 12% decrease in the dropout rate last school year. The number of high school dropouts is the lowest in a non-pandemic year since the 2013-14 school year.

“It is promising to see a decrease in dropouts across North Carolina’s public schools as we know time in the classroom better prepares students for their future,” Truitt said in a news release Wednesday. “I’m hopeful to see this trend continue as education is essential for students’ personal and professional success.”

How to make schools safer

Fears about school violence have risen due to school shootings across the nation, threats, guns being found on campuses and incidents such as the fatal stabbing in November of a student at Southeast Raleigh High School.

The Center for Safer Schools issued several recommendations to improve school climate, including:

▪ Employ a non-floating social worker at each school who focuses on prevention, intervention and referral.

▪ Employ qualified professionals to offer cultural sensitivity and cultural awareness training to school staff and employees.

▪ Include school resource officers in positive interaction, not just classroom behavior management and situations of arrest or other punitive measures.

Go to http://tinyurl.com/36auuyjb to view statewide and individual school crime and suspension reports for the 2022-23 school year and past years.