Back-To-School Safety

LINCOLN - In an effort to maintain a safe environment for children during the upcoming school year, the Nebraska Attorney General's Office has issued a series of recommendations on school safety.

Safety To And From School

  • Know the routes your children take and have them walk with other children.  Be aware of how much time it takes to go to and from school.  Do not allow them to take shortcuts that may be dangerous.

  • Tell your children to stay away from strangers, and strange vehicles.

  • Instruct your children to walk on sidewalks.  If there are no sidewalks, suggest walking in single file on the side of the road.  Cross streets at intersections only.

  • Direct your children to never accept rides from anyone other than persons you have designated beforehand.

  • Inform school officials and day care providers who is authorized to pick up your children. 

  • Advise your children's principal to notify you immediately if one of your children is absent.

  • At the earliest age possible, have your children memorize their full name, phone number and address.  Teach them how to use the phone to call home, call 911, and how to make a collect call home.

  • Take note of the clothes your children are wearing to school each day so that you could describe what your children are wearing, if necessary.

Report Suspicious Activity

Instruct your children to immediately inform school authorities of any criminal or suspicious activity they may witness.  Informing your local police department or school about suspicious incidents may prove helpful in dealing with these situations, and may help resolve a potential problem.  If you or your children see any suspicious activity, DIAL 911 immediately.

Know Your Children's Friends

Know the names of your children's friends, where they live and how to reach them.  Remember, your children make new friends each school year.  Being familiar with your children's friends will help you know where to look for them in the event they fail to come home from school on time.  Children should also be taught to keep parents informed about their whereabouts.

Safety At Home

It is important to have a plan in place for your children to follow if they get home from school and no adult is there.  You should have a list of emergency phone numbers available for your child.  These should be numbers of people they know and can call either for advice, or during emergencies.  You should also have a well-defined list of what your children can and cannot do if they are home alone.

For more information on school safety, contact your school administrators, local law enforcement officials, or:

Attorney General's Office
Consumer Protection Division
2115 State Capitol Building
Lincoln, NE  68509
(402) 471-2682
Consumer Protection Line:  800-727-6432