Attorney General's News Release

May 2, 1999

Nixon to speak at youth violence/school safety summit

Jackson, Miss. — Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon will join attorneys general from throughout the country in a summit by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) on Youth Violence and School Safety beginning Monday in Jackson, Mississippi.

State, federal and academic experts from across the nation including Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar will participate in this timely push for less violence among children and safer schools. Though the NAAG event will take place less than two weeks after the tragic events in Littleton, Colorado, the summit in Jackson, Mississippi has been under development for a year.

Nixon said he will update the attorneys general on safe school efforts in Missouri and will make every effort to learn from others at the conference about various ways to curb school violence.

"I join with attorneys general throughout the country in my resolve to do more as a state and a nation to curb youth violence and make our schools safer," Nixon said.

Nixon and NAAG president and Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore will join attorneys general from across the nation, including Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar, in the summit. Other participants will include representatives from the Child Welfare League of America, the National School Safety Center at Pepperdine University, Safe and Drug Free Schools of the U.S. Department of Education, the National School Boards Association and the Peace Institute for Middle Schoolers.

The aims of the NAAG Presidential Summit on Youth Violence and School Safety are to:

• Provide a forum for perspectives on the Littleton tragedy and the other school violence incidents that have occurred in the last two years.
• Examine the child development factors that can contribute to violence from birth to 18 years of age.
• Focus on ways of dealing with the problems associated with youth violence and school safety.
• Open dialogue between law enforcement, school officials and other entities that service our children.

Presentations planned for the summit include:

• Overview of State Programs to Curb Youth Violence, including "Smart Choices: Teaching Kids about the Legal Consequences of Violence" and "Working with Community Groups to Create Successful After School Programs."
• Combating Gangs in America's Schools.
• The Relationship between Early Childhood Development Programs and Reducing Youth Violence.

"The tragedy last week in Littleton, Colorado underscores the importance of this work by state attorneys general. The impact of this shooting goes far beyond the borders of Colorado. It renews our sense of mission about finding ways to address the issues of youth violence and school safety," said NAAG President Moore.

NAAG also has joined forces with the National School Boards Association to launch the "Keep Schools Safe" Web site at www.keepschoolssafe.org, which has timely information for concerned parents, educators and young people.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818