You could go into a supermarket and somebody could pull out a gun. Future teachers at UNT, not only learn basic teaching skills, they also learn how to recognize the signs of potential school violence, and ways to maintain a safe learning environment. In fact, the university will host a conference next week for 3,000 Texas educators focusing on making schools safe. Dr. Frank Kemerer, an expert on student discipline and the law, says schools should not overreact to threats of violence. And all teachers should watch for indications that a student may be distressed, withdrawn, or potentially violent.
Some future teachers think, because they are young, they understand teenagers and violence.
It's not a situation where you walk through school and know every student has a gun or a knife, but it's a possibility, just as it's a possibility in the world around you. Good teachers have a lot of good qualities, including guts. The University of North Texas turns out nearly 1,000 teachers a year, the most of any school in North Texas.