New Book SCHOOL OF ERRORS Exposes Unsustainable School Safety Industry

"School of Errors - Rethinking School Safety in America" (ISBN: 978-1475837445), authored by David P. Perrodin, Ph.D., and published by Rowman & Littlefield, is being touted as "the most honest book ever written about the $3 billion school safety industrial complex."

Perrodin boldly addresses the ambiguity of school safety plans. What is a "good" school safety plan and what is a "good" school safety drill? He explains to readers that schools must attempt to interpret and apply these foggy expectations with little oversight and less accountability.

Perrodin warns that when the perceived value of unchecked spending is increased student safety, it's practically unthinkable to assign a price tag to peace of mind.

"Fortifications, though a common 'solution' to the problem, are just not working," Perrodin explains. "While parents and communities want to 'see' security, schools should focus more on safety research than on increased fortifications, which are often under-researched and easy to undermine."

The book showcases to readers how schools have allowed security vendors to become the experts. And, it's a cost that comes at a high price.

Perrodin pushes readers to consider rhetoric versus school safety reality, hoping that schools and communities will think past fortifications and hyper-realistic exercises to develop more holistic security programs. For example, the book suggests that increased funding for research on the Youth Code of Silence is needed. Why? Facts show that more than 75 percent of the time, at least one other person has prior knowledge that an attacker intends to bring harm to a school.

"School of Errors" also addresses how special needs students have been placed on the sidelines of safety. Perrodin provides a framework for all students to actively participate in keeping their schools safe.

James B. Sibley, Esq., special education attorney, Tollner Law Offices, says this book is, "A brave demonstration of speaking truth to power. 'School of Errors' rips the lid off the billion-dollar school safety industry. Using real-world examples of successful responses in desperate situations, Perrodin contrasts the expensive window dressings pitched to panicked parents, with the inexpensive and effective approaches proven to actually work. Read this book before you let your school waste another precious dollar on meaningless safety 'theater.'"

It's Perrodin's hope that all students will be safer if they are taught how to increase awareness of their environments (situational awareness) and are provided with better threat reporting systems.

David P. Perrodin, Ph.D., promotes a safety initiative of taking action before a disaster strikes. He's an author, researcher, professor, legal expert witness and host of The Safety Doc Podcast. Perrodin earned a doctor of philosophy degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he researched high stakes safety decisions in education, health care and military. He delivered two school safety presentations on Wisconsin Public Television and also wrote and directed a film about school safety with Pulitzer Prize winner David Obst.

Perrodin has a passion for helping schools and companies design and implement safety instruction and threat-reporting tools that are accessible to students with special needs.

For more information: http://safetyphd.com/.

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