August 18, 1999

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.... To keep West Virginians up-to-date with the latest information on the upcoming statewide school  safety symposium, U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., Wednesday launched a new branch of his Internet home page dedicated to "Building Safe Schools and Healthy Communities: The West Virginia Response."

"This Internet  page is designed to be a one-stop-shop for West Virginians interested in the school safety meeting.  It includes the agenda for the day, a list of goals for the symposium, updates on the panelists, and the latest news about  the event," Byrd explained.

"After the meeting wraps up, I will update the page with material presented during the day, recommendations from the participants, and any follow-up activities that may result from this  important symposium," Byrd said.

Byrd and West Virginia University (WVU) are co-hosting the event this Saturday, August 21, at the WVU College of Law.  The keynote speaker is James Alan Fox, the Lipman Family  Professor of Criminal Justice and former Dean of the College of Criminal Justice at Northeastern University.  Fox is widely recognized as a leading authority on violence prevention, and has served as a member of the  Presidential Advisory Committee on School Shootings and the U.S. Department of Education's Expert Panel on Safe, Disciplined, and Drug-Free Schools. 

Morning panels, consisting of West Virginians who have been  actively involved in school safety and violence prevention efforts, will focus on community and school initiatives underway across the state. 

Following the panel discussions, symposium participants will react to  points made by the morning speakers, examine areas that might be strengthened at the community and state levels, and discuss appropriate roles for the federal government.

"WVU is looking forward to hosting this forum  whereby Senator Byrd is lifting up a sampling of preventative programs to help spur critical dialogue.  Keeping schools and communities safe requires vision, broadbased strategies and commitment.  All three, no doubt,  will be found among our panelists and participants," said WVU President David C. Hardesty, Jr.

"It is my hope that, in working together at the school safety symposium and at every other opportunity, we can identify  and implement steps to address and stem the violence besetting our school system.  We need to restore the schools that we once knew, where students were more concerned about a pop quiz rather than the pop of a gun.  I  look forward to this Saturday's meeting, and hope it will result in new partnerships and initiatives to prevent school violence," Byrd said.