Escalation of Troubles.

Newspaper headlines from a single week in 1987 demonstrate an alarming escalation of violence, drug use, and abuse in the nation's schools: "Tennessee Teacher Shot By Special Ed Student in Class," "Reported Abuse Deaths up 29%," "Boy Shot Outside Detroit High School," "NYC Board Sued in Rape Incident at Local School," "Tighter Security Urged after Attack on NYC Principal," "LA Student Shoots Self in Principal's Office," "Cal Student's Parents Sued After Attack on Teacher," "Kentucky Boy Shot at Football Game," "GA Student Fatally Stabs Elementary Principal," "Three Alabama Students Charged With Rape of Classmate," "Boy Kills Classmate, Self in Missouri," "Four NJ Teens Die in Apparent 'Suicide Pact,' " and " 'Copy Cat' Suicide Pacts and Attempts in Three States."

Drug Use and the Schools.

Many of the problems with violence, abuse, and suicidal impulses were associated with illegal drugs. In 1979 surveys...