LETTERS to the EDITOR - Bastian: Safe schools are built through support, not shortcuts
I recently read the KELOLAND/SD News Watch article, “As student violence rises, state wants districts to have options,” reported by Bart Pfankuch, and I appreciate the attention being given to a very real and growing concern in South Dakota schools.
Student aggression and violence are real challenges, and they often signal deeper needs that deserve thoughtful, informed attention. Educators and educational assistants are being injured, learning environments are disrupted, and students lose valuable instructional time. Most importantly, these moments interrupt a student’s ability to feel safe and ready to learn. When addressed early – and with the right support in place –many of these situations can become opportunities for growth, learning, and long-term success rather than repeated cycles of crisis.
The broader conversation, however, should not stop at how schools respond in moments of crisis. It should also ask whether schools are adequately funded, staffed, and supported to meet the evolving needs of today’s students in a sustainable way.
Schools already have procedures in place to remove students when safety is at risk. What many districts lack are the resources necessary to prevent escalation in the first place. As someone who works directly with students experiencing behavioral challenges, I have seen situations escalate quickly – sometimes without a clear external trigger. In most cases, this is not about defiance or malicious intent. More often, behavior is communication, revealing a gap between what a student is able to express in that moment and what the adults around them are equipped to interpret and respond to effectively.
When proper staffing, training, and individualized support are available, many situations can be resolved safely and constructively. When they are not, outcomes can look very different – for the student, their classmates, and the educators involved. This is not an isolated experience, but a reality faced by many South Dakota schools navigating limited staffing, shrinking applicant pools, budget constraints, and increasingly complex student needs.
Students with behavioral and developmental challenges require consistent, trained support. That includes well-supported Educational Assistants, teachers, administrators, and access to appropriate specialized services when needed. At the same time, the demand for special education services continues to rise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a steady increase in the identification of autism spectrum disorder over recent decades. While the causes are complex, the implication for schools is clear: more students require specialized, consistent support, and districts must be prepared to meet those needs safely and effectively.
When schools lack staffing, training, and resources, the impact is felt by everyone. Teachers leave the profession. Educational Assistants experience burnout or injury. Students with additional needs fall further behind. And classrooms lose the stability and sense of belonging that all students deserve.
If South Dakota wants to create a more welcoming learning environment – not only today, but in the years ahead – the solution is not found in shortcuts or solely in expanded authority. The solution is investment: in people, in preparation, and in the resources that districts need to educate every student with dignity, care, and competence.
Safety does not come from shortcuts.
It comes from preparation.
It comes from support.
And it comes from funding schools to do the work educators are asked to do – so every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
Respectfully,
Brett Bastian
Brandon
