Some time ago, I attended a symposium in Detroit where practitioners in this area from many urban school districts

compared notes. We all agreed gangs, guns, and drugs were the major problems we face. So, I'm sure that the problems we face in the New York City public schools are similar to those in any large city system.

Here is how bad it can get for kids. Thomas Jefferson High School, in the East New York Section of Brooklyn, now has a grieving room for kids who have lost friends to this kind of violence. Kids in some neighborhoods in the city have been heard to say "If I grow up instead of When I grow up." You wonder why math scores are not up to par?

We are doing a great deal on our own, but we could use some help. I'm sure Bruce Irushalmi can tell you about the innovative weapons detection program. The UFT and the Board have jointly sponsored the Victim Support Program for staff victims. This unique operation provides for psychological and other support.

We need help in keeping guns out of the hands of school children. our local laws can't keep fire works out of the city and they are not keeping illegal guns out either. We

also need help in dealing with those who sell drugs in and around schools.

We all need some technical assistance in dealing with those schools with very high incident rates. The National School Safety Center in california does a great job. It's a good model but we need regional branch offices around the

country.

The criminals of the 21st century are in our early grades right now

measure up to us.

How many of them there will be is to some

Thank you, Mr. Chairman

Mr. SCHUMER. Dr. Feder, Mr. Muir has taken all your allotted time, but we won't penalize you for that. He gave very good testimony.

STATEMENT OF JUNE FEDER, PH.D., PSYCHOLOGIST, VICTIM SUPPORT PROGRAM, NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION, UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHERS

Dr. FEDER. Good morning.

Mr. SCHUMER. Just try to highlight your main points, please.

Dr. FEDER. OK. We've also heard some horrifying statistics this morning. But, as you've also heard, numbers don't convey the essence of the problem. I mean here is the tragic human toll that violence in schools takes, for children and families, teachers, administrators, and other school staff.

Through the Victim Support Program, which is a joint effortit's jointly sponsored by the New York City Board of Education and the United Federation of Teachers, I have counseled hundreds of school staff, and I can tell you that the physical injuries which they sustain are often just a small part of the overall injury.

As has been indicated here earlier this morning, an act of violence is a shattering experience. It shakes the very foundations of basic human assumption: That the world is just and that we are essentially safe. Individuals who are victims of violent crime often experience profound disruption and violation. Symptoms and severe reactions can last for days, weeks, months, and even longer. Severe reactions may afflict not only the direct victim-and I think this is an important point-but many others as well: Witnesses, associates, those nearby, those close to the victim, family, and friends. In fact, in our work in schools we have coined the term "ripple effect trauma" to describe the way in which trauma infects the school as a total entity as well as the surrounding community.

One of the things that we do as part of our work in the Victim Support Program is that we go into schools following incidents to try to address the problems which arise as a result of the trauma which spreads out and affects other people in the school as well as the direct victims.

While we address the problems involved with staff directly, the board of education also has, at least on paper, a system of trauma teams that go out to some of the schools to try to assist students who are reacting to the impact of traumatic incidents. We would like to expand this and get it going in all the schools.

For teachers and other school staff, trauma may be far more severe than for other categories of victims. Not only must they contend with the sense of personal violation, but also with the impact on their professional functioning and the meaning for their professional identities. One of the things that we find over and over again is that fear develops, intense fear of the workplace and of the people whom teachers service. How can you function at work if you're afraid? They may feel betrayal. After all, teachers are trained to help and serve. They do not prepare themselves to defend against attack. When those whom they service turn against them—that is, when attackers are students or even parents-it can

shatter basic notions about role and professional mission and sever essential bonds of trust. If you don't trust that the people whom you service won't hurt you, how can you give to them? And, if a teacher is afraid to give, how can he or she teach? They may feel profound self-blame and shame, no matter how unwarranted those perceptions might be.

Finally, I want to say a few words about the second injury, an very important concept that was not mentioned here today. When I talk about the second injury, I mean the additional injury caused by the failure of the system to support the victim. In case after case, we hear of insensitive treatment by people from whom victims expected support. In fact, many victims tell us that the second injury phenomenon is far more violating than the original event. One of the things that we are trying to do through the Victim Support Program, is to establish a training module for administrators and other people who interact with school staff victims. I think there's a kind of natural human tendency to back away from victims when they most need support. You don't want to identify yourselves with them. We will try to counteract that tendency. Thank you.

Mr. SCHUMER. Thank you very much, Dr. Feder. I want to thank all the witnesses.

[The prepared statement of Dr. Feder follows:]

PREPARED STATEMENT OF JUNE FEDER, PH.D., PSYCHOLOgist, Victim Support PROGRAM, New York City Board of EducaTION, UNITED Federation of TEACHERS

Testimony to Congress

Good morning. I am June Feder, the psychologist with the Victim Support Program, a joint effort by the New York City Board of Education and the United Federation of Teachers to provide services to school staff who are victims of school-related crime. There are three million catastrophes or acts of violence in American schools every year. These are horrifying numbers. But as you have heard this morning, numbers don't convey the essence of the problem, the tragic human toll for children and their families, teachers, administrators and other school staff.

I have counseled hundreds of victimized teachers and other school staff and I can tell you that the physical injuries which they sustain are often just a small part of the overall injury.

An act of violence is a shattering experience. It shakes the foundations of basic human assumptions: that the world is just and that we are essentially safe. Individuals who are victims of violent crime often experience profound personal disruption and violation which is often accompanied by severe psychological and emotional difficulties including depression, anxiety, nightmares, fear, phobic reactions, withdrawal, emotional flooding and other distressing problems. These can last for weeks, months and even longer.

Severe reactions may afflict not only direct victims but many others as well: witnesses, associates, those nearby, those close to the victim, family and friends. In fact, in our work in schools we have coined the term "ripple-effect" trauma to describe the way in