Dorothy Espelage, professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois, is the lead author of an article published in the APA's American Psychologist. The article makes recommendations for a national research, practice, and policy agenda to better understand and prevent violence directed against teachers. She was chair of APA’s Task Force on Classroom Violence Directed Against Teachers, which issued a report in 2011.

JANUARY 7, 2012, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, WASHINGTON—Teachers across the United States report alarmingly high rates of personally experiencing student violence and harassment while at school, according to an article published by the American Psychological Association that presents comprehensive recommendations to make schools safer for school personnel as well as students.

“Understanding and Preventing Violence Directed Against Teachers: Recommendations for a National Research, Practice, and Policy Agenda,” was published online Jan. 7 in the APA’s flagship journal, American Psychologist^®.

“Violence directed against teachers is a national crisis with far-reaching implications and deserves inclusion in the school violence equation,” said the article’s lead author, Dorothy Espelage, PhD, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “We are proposing that any comprehensive examination of school violence must consider the complex dynamics that affect teachers and other school personnel as well as students, parents and the entire community.” Espelage was chair of APA’s Task Force on Classroom Violence Directed Against Teachers, which issued a report in 2011.

See entire APA press release…
See related story on Business News Daily…
See related story on mother nature network…
See related story on CNN.com…