Abstract
Purpose. This case study was conducted to describe and compare the perceptions of parents, students, teachers, and administrators in selected Madera County middle schools about the internal and external factors that affect school safety. Specifically, this study used research questions to provide data in seven areas: (1) perceptions of internal factors that affect school safety; (2) similarities in stakeholder perceptions; (3) differences in stakeholder perceptions; (4) perceptions of external factors that affect school safety; (5) similarities in stakeholder perceptions; (6) differences in stakeholder perceptions; (7) and archival data regarding those factors. Methodology. Each of the four middle schools in Madera County was chosen to participate in this descriptive case study. Parents were SITE council representatives; students surveyed were either in student council or were placed in community day school programs; teachers were purposively selected from all teachers within each school site; each principal in the sample was surveyed. Findings. There were twenty-five key findings. The most notable school safety findings were: (1) bathrooms were unsafe; (2) law enforcement affects school safety; (3) administrators were key persons to school safety; and (4) supervision of students is an important factor to school safety. Conclusions. The researcher determined the study resulted in eleven notable conclusions; four are stated here: (1) the role of principal must be administered differently in the twenty-first century compared to the past; (2) school to community communication is critical; (3) student voices should be heard; and (4) perceptions may be affected more by assumptions than realities. Recommendations. Recommendations for further study include: (1) compare the perceptions of rural communities to urban communities; (2) determine the correlation of assumptions to perceptions; and (3) determine the correlation between levels of supervision and acts of violence.