UTSA researchers to study violence against teachers

By Jesus Chavez
Public Affairs Specialist

(Nov. 4, 2015) -- Each year, approximately 253,000 teachers are victims of some form of violence in schools, according to the American Psychological Association. Despite the high level of reported incidents, few scientific studies have been conducted that examine the scope, predictors and consequences of violence against teachers in the U.S.

Byongook Moon, UTSA associate professor of Criminal Justice, and Roger Enriquez, associate professor and director of the Policy Studies Center, have received a nearly $360,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to embark on a two-year exploration of violence against teachers in Texas middle and high schools.

“We’re grateful that the National Institute of Justice is supporting research that helps society better understand the possible root causes and related factors that contribute to school violence,” said Enriquez, who will be working through the Policy Studies Center to conduct research on policy implications and community impact. “Over the next two years, we hope to make great strides toward maintaining a safer school environment for all.”

Beginning in January, Moon and Enriquez will study data on approximately 2,000 middle and high school teachers in a Texas county to examine the various types of violence that they may face in the course of their scholastic duties. This study and the data gathered, the researchers hope, can serve as resources for future policy decisions.

“Scientifically speaking, we do not know much about the rates of violence against teachers,” said Moon. “We know that violence is happening to teachers in schools, but what kind, at what rate, for what reasons, and to what consequences?”

In order to answer those questions, the researchers will examine factors that may serve as catalysts for school violence against teachers. These may include teachers’ socio-demographic factors, such as gender, race, age and experience-level, and environmental factors, such as grade level, the effectiveness of school administration, workplace morale and the school’s response to victimization.

Moon and Enriquez are also concerned with victims’ emotional and physical wellbeing in cases of victimization.

“We will be attempting to answer as many questions about violence against teachers as possible over the next two years,” said Moon. “But, most importantly, we want to bring to light the hidden costs of violence against teachers. These are the people that are educating our children and so it is for the good of all society to understand the dangers they face.”

The study is funded through the NIJ’s Comprehensive School Safety Initiative, a research-focused initiative to increase the safety of schools and students nationwide.

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Learn more about the Department of Criminal Justice and the Policy Studies Center, both housed in the UTSA College of Public Policy.

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About this project
This project was supported by Award No. 2015-CK-BX-0019, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.