A Personal Reflection
When I walk into private schools, I see passionate educators and strong communities. But I also see unlocked doors, untrained staff, outdated procedures, and a belief that “it won’t happen here.” I’ve spent years trying to convince private school leaders that safety is not optional or something to implement “when the budget allows.” It is a moral obligation—especially when parents believe they are already paying for it.
Why Private K–12 Schools Must Confront a Hard Truth About Security
For many families, choosing a private K–12 school feels like choosing a safer, more controlled learning environment. Smaller class sizes, faith-based values, selective admissions, and strong community culture all contribute to the belief that private schools are inherently safer than public schools. As someone who works with schools nationwide, I understand why parents—and many private school leaders—assume this.
But the uncomfortable truth is this: public schools are often far safer—structurally, operationally, and legally—because they are required to be. Public schools operate under state mandates, federal safety requirements, and compliance obligations that private schools simply do not have to follow. And that gap is widening.
Public Schools Must Follow Federal and State Safety Standards—Private Schools Do Not
After 9/11, the Homeland Security Act reshaped emergency preparedness across public institutions, including public schools. They were brought into national frameworks for emergency planning, communication systems, and coordinated response.
More recently, federal legislation such as H.R. 6809 (Alyssa’s Act) has pushed school safety further by encouraging silent panic alarms and stronger coordination with law enforcement—again, for public schools.
Private schools, however, are not required to:
- Install panic alarms
- Adopt standardized emergency response protocols
- Train staff in crisis procedures
- Maintain emergency plans
- Participate in federal reporting systems
Yet many parents assume these protections exist.
The Budget Excuse—And Why It No Longer Holds Up
The most common reason private school leaders give for lacking safety programs is, “We don’t have the budget.” I hear this from faith-based schools, independent academies, and even high-tuition institutions.
Meanwhile, parents paying significant tuition often believe safety is included. They assume the school has emergency plans, trained staff, and a coordinated response system. Too often, that assumption is wrong.
The absence of:
- Emergency response plans
- Standard Response Protocols
- Regular staff training
- Dedicated security personnel
- Modern communication systems
…is not a budget issue. It’s a priority issue. Public schools don’t get to choose whether safety is required. Private schools do—and many choose incorrectly.
Private Schools Offer Many Advantages—But Safety Isn’t One of Them
Private schools excel in:
- Personalized learning
- Strong community culture
- Values-based education
- Smaller class sizes
- Curriculum flexibility
But none of these advantages automatically translate into safety. In fact, the lack of oversight can create dangerous blind spots.
Public schools must:
- Conduct drills
- Maintain emergency plans
- Coordinate with law enforcement
- Follow state safety codes
- Comply with federal guidance
- Document training and preparedness
Private schools may do these things—but they are not required to. Many do not.
Parents Must Start Asking Hard Questions
Parents should not assume safety exists simply because tuition is high or the environment feels nurturing. They should ask:
- What emergency response plan do you follow?
- Do you use a Standard Response Protocol?
- How often is staff trained?
- Do you have dedicated security personnel?
- What communication systems are used during a crisis?
- How do you coordinate with law enforcement?
- When was your last safety audit?
If the answers are vague or defensive, that is a red flag. Relying solely on a 911 call and hoping for a fast police response is not a safety plan—it’s a gamble.
Why Public Schools Dominate the Data
Private schools make up only about 10% of U.S. K–12 enrollment, and active-assailant incidents in private schools are so rare that they barely appear in national datasets. This does not mean private schools are safer—it means they are:
- Less represented
- Less regulated
- Less required to report
Public schools, by contrast, are included in federal safety reporting systems such as:
- School-Associated Violent Death Surveillance System
- National Violent Death Reporting System
- FBI Active Shooter Reports
These systems primarily track public schools because public schools must report incidents and follow federal frameworks.
Why the numbers skew toward public schools:
- Public schools educate ~90% of U.S. students.
- Public schools must report violent incidents; private schools are not required to.
- Public schools must comply with federal safety mandates; private schools are exempt.
- Private schools often lack standardized emergency plans, training, audits, and communication systems.
Incidents in private schools may occur but go unreported or unclassified.
The Bottom Line
Public schools account for nearly all documented active-assailant incidents—not because private schools are inherently safer, but because public schools are more regulated, more accountable, and more prepared.
Alyssa’s Act and other federal initiatives are raising the bar for public schools. Private schools are not required to meet that bar—but parents should expect them to.
Safety should not depend on:
- Whether a child attends public or private school
- How much tuition is paid
- Assumptions about culture or community
Every child deserves a safe learning environment.
Every school should be prepared.
And every parent should demand it.
Below is a sample of Private School & Religious Campus Incidents
2025 – Annunciation Catholic School (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
A violent incident occurred on or near the school grounds, renewing concern about the lack of standardized safety requirements for private Catholic schools in Minnesota.
2024 – Basilica of St. Mary’s Catholic Church & School Campus (Minneapolis, MN)
A shooting occurred on the church–school campus, resulting in multiple fatalities and highlighting the vulnerability of faith‑based schools that share facilities with churches.
2023 – The Covenant School (Nashville, Tennessee)
A private Christian elementary school where multiple victims were killed in a targeted attack.
2020 – De La Salle High School (New Orleans, Louisiana)
A private Catholic high school where a student was shot outside the school during dismissal.
2015 – Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
A private Catholic school where a student was shot outside the building after school hours.
2014 – Seattle Pacific University (Seattle, Washington)
A private Christian university where a student was killed and others injured before a student intervened.
2012 – Oikos University (Oakland, California)
A private Christian college where multiple students were killed in a targeted attack.
2012 – Episcopal School of Jacksonville (Jacksonville, Florida)
A private Episcopal school where a former teacher fatally shot a staff member.
2005 – Red Lake Catholic School (Red Lake, Minnesota)
A student was killed at a private Catholic school before the attacker moved to the nearby public high school.
