Safe Schools Maryland

In an effort to reduce violence in schools, Governor Larry Hogan has launched the Safe Schools Maryland tip line and mobile app. “Incidents of targeted violence at our schools are rarely sudden impulsive acts; instead, in the majority of these incidents, another person was aware of what the student was thinking or planning to do,” said Governor Hogan at the Maryland Emergency Management Agency in October.

“We must remain ever vigilant when it comes to protecting our kids, and we are counting on our local school communities, our students, teachers, and parents to work together with us in these important efforts.”

The tip line will be online 24/7 with trained technicians, and the staff will share any information to the appropriate school systems, officials, staff and law enfocement officials to prevent violence in schools from taking place. The Safe Schools mobile app is available for iPhones and Android. The Safe Schools program encourages students, parents, faculty, staff, and members of communities to use the anonymous, app- and web-based reporting system to share concerns including mental health crises, bullying, school and/or community violence, drug activity, abuse, and harassment.

According to Hogan, “Sadly, all too often students, choose to remain silent because they are afraid of retaliation, rejection, or stigmatization by their peers. The troubling result is a ‘code of silence’ in which students suffer harm that could have been prevented if another person had chosen to speak out. We need to empower our students to break that ‘code of silence.”

“If they see unsafe situations or behavior, including threats made in person or on social media, bullying, or a friend who expresses the desire to hurt themselves or others,” he said, “we need young Marylanders to say something and to do something without fear of retribution for coming forward.”

More details about the app and tip line are available at SafeSchoolsMD.org. The tip line is: 1-833-MD-B-SAFE (1-833-632-7233).

— Ann Levelle