Senate Passes Webb-Brown Measure To Reduce School Violence

Amendment Clarifies Information-Sharing Guidance in Wake of Cleveland Public School & VA Tech Tragedies

WASHINGTON, DC – The Senate approved an amendment offered by U.S. Senators Jim Webb (D-VA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to help reduce school violence. The Webb-Brown amendment, which was offered to the Fiscal Year 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill, directs the Secretary of Education to provide schools with updated guidance on how information on a student's mental health can be shared legally with authorities.

The amendment was prompted by school tragedies this year at Virginia Tech and in an Ohio public high school—incidents that might have been prevented with more robust information-sharing among school officials, law enforcement, health care providers and parents.

"In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, it has become apparent that school administrators lack the necessary guidance when it comes to sharing information with law enforcement and other entities about students who may be threats to themselves or others," said Senator Webb. "Schools should be clear about their legal authority to share relevant information, without fear of liability, in order to properly protect their school communities."  

"This measure incorporates the recommendations made by the President's federal task force in response to the Virginia Tech tragedy," continued Webb. "I am confident this legislation will help to provide all schools with clearer guidance on information-sharing in order to avoid the unwarranted tragedies we have experienced in Virginia and Ohio."  

"Parents send their children to school every day trusting they will be safe," Senator Brown said. "While the risk of violence can't be eliminated, it must be minimized. That's the goal behind this amendment. By equipping schools with better information, we can help them anticipate and prevent school violence. This is a simple step with enormous implications – it can save lives."   

Following the Virginia Tech tragedy, President George W. Bush asked Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to review the events surrounding the tragedy and make recommendations of ways to prevent school violence in the future. Among its recommendations, the "Report to the President on Issues Raised by the Virginia Tech Tragedy" cites the need to provide clarification on privacy laws so that schools share information appropriately and can coordinate their activities with law enforcement entities, mental health providers, and other concerned parties.  

In 2002, the Department of Education and U.S. Secret Service compiled a comprehensive guidance document to help schools respond appropriately when faced with a potentially dangerous student. This document has not been properly updated since its initial implementation.  

The Brown-Webb amendment instructs the Department of Education to update and distribute within three months the 2002 guidelines based on lessons learned from the Virginia Tech shooting.  

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