Patrick Welsh

While some argue that public schools are rife with violence and crime, others contend that recent school shootings are isolated incidents that have been hyped by the media. Statistically, according to Patrick Welsh, school violence has decreased while students face the more relevant dangers of car accidents, suicide, and eating disorders. In the following viewpoint, Welsh argues that violence and crime in schools are the exception in a generally safe environment. Welsh is an English teacher at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia, and a member of USA Today’s board of contributors.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Why was Welsh angered by the perception the community had of the violence in his school?
2. Why, according to principal John Porter and officer Hassan Aden, do students start...