PAX is a nonpolitical nonprofit organization working with all Americans to help bring an end to gun violence against children and families. PAX's two innovative programs -- SPEAK UP and ASK (Asking Saves Kids) -- offer practical solutions for protecting children from gun violence.

In Wake of Foiled School Shooting Plot, Schools Must Consider Importance of Student Tips

By all accounts a student at Pottstown High School prevented a tragedy.  He made a courageous decision to tell a teacher about Michael Yarvis’s plan.   As schools around the country struggle with how to maintain a safe climate (over 1 million students bring a weapon to school every month), much emphasis is placed on complicated and expensive solutions like metal detectors, police patrols and school shooting drills.  What is often missing from these safety plans is consideration of the vital role students can play in keeping their own schools and communities safe. 

A study by the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of Education and Harvard Medical School's McLean Hospital found that in 81 percent of school shootings, the attackers tell someone about their plans beforehand – in nearly all cases, another student.  Students can be a schools best hope for preventing a tragedy. Often however, students’ trust of teachers and administrators concerns about confidentiality, and anticipation of negative consequences for sharing information may prevent a student from sharing information.

1-866-SPEAK-UP is the first and only national toll-free hotline dedicated to giving students a way to report weapons threats anonymously. In six years, the hotline has received more than 27,000 calls.

Dan Gross, co-founder of PAX/Real Solutions to Gun Violence, which established the hotline in 2002 said, “In the case of a threat of violence, students are facing uncomfortable questions of whether the threat is real and whom they can trust to tell. Unfortunately, indecision and silence can have tragic consequences. An anonymous hotline helps make the right decision easy, so students can share what they know, which makes everyone safer.”

“Obviously there are many factors that can impact school safety,” said Dan Gross. “But it’s vitally important that we don’t overlook the immediate opportunity to save lives and the critical role an anonymous hotline plays.”