Safety

Corps member personal safety is important to Teach For America. Given our commitment to schools and communities in low-income areas – which themselves sometimes face challenges around the safety of teachers, students and community members – we have an obligation to support our corps members when they experience personal safety challenges. While no individual in any profession, including teaching, is exempt from concerns about personal safety, generally, anxieties about the dangers in low-income communities are not reflective of our corps members' actual experiences in the schools and neighborhoods in which they teach. The majority of corps members feel safe in their schools and communities, as evidenced by more than 90 percent of corps members surveyed reporting that they feel safe in their classrooms and school buildings.*

Teach For America assumes responsibility for problem-solving with corps members as thought partners and providing whatever classroom resources, if any, that might be helpful. In certain instances, we will advocate on behalf of our corps members with school or district leadership, if we think our advocacy can result in a good outcome that improves the safety of the corps member and is otherwise appropriate. We know that no amount of preparation can absolutely guarantee an individual's safety; however, we also address and discuss issues of personal safety during regional orientations. In addition, Teach For America has an organization-wide protocol for addressing personal safety incidents that may arise within a region. This protocol outlines the necessary communication, party involvement, and recommended steps for resolution based upon the situation.

Corps members are ultimately responsible for making decisions about their personal safety. As is the case with professional development generally, corps members need to be proactive in connecting with Teach For America staff when they are experiencing personal safety issues. Individual corps members must decide for themselves what they feel most comfortable with when it comes to their personal safety.

* Survey of over 1,400 current corps members conducted in April 2007 by Policy Studies Associates, an independent research firm based in Washington D.C.

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