Sharing Information to Promote a Culture of Safety

Much of the research on school shootings emphasizes the need for peers, not school officials, to share information about students of concern. This qualitative case study examined the information school officials had prior to a school shooting, which left two students dead. The data came from school officials’ deposition testimony and school records and revealed problems with information sharing and Federal Educational Rights Privacy Act interpretation prior to the shooting. Adaptive leadership strategies may allow school officials to build a culture of safety.