Safety Through Community: Bystander Reporting with Lindsay Burton
- Michele Gay
- Apr 1
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
The Sound Off, a Safe and Sound Schools Podcast
No single person holds every piece of the puzzle needed to prevent school violence. It takes the whole community—students, teachers, parents, administrators, and more—sharing what they know and what they’re concerned about to develop the full picture of a student in crisis, or on the path to harm. In this episode of The Sound Off, Michele Gay and Lindsay Burton, Associate Director for School Safety (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency), explore how reporting systems empower students, engage communities, and prevent incidents before they occur.
The discussion centers around the strategies, tools, and cultural shifts that make reporting systems effective tools for cultivating safer communities. Michele and Lindsay focus on how to create trusted pathways for student reporting and how to address challenges schools face in implementation. Whether you’re a parent searching for proactive ways to keep your school community safe or an administrator working to bolster your reporting system, the insights in this conversation are a must hear for everyone committed to building safer, stronger school communities.
Below you’ll find a full episode guide complete with key takeaways, powerful quotes, and additional resources on implementing an effective reporting system in your community. Listen now to discover how you can build a culture of trust and connectedness that supports safety and strengthens the bonds of your entire community.
Disclaimer: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) does not endorse any product, service, or enterprise and the views expressed in this podcast should not represent or be interpreted as any such type of endorsement.
Episode Guide
[4:30] Understanding Bystander Reporting: A Critical Component of Keeping Schools Safe and Sound
Incidents of school violence are almost always preceded by concerning, observable behavior or communication of plans. In a U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center study of 67 averted plots to commit school violence, 94% of attackers told a peer or school community member about their plans. Michele and Lindsay discuss this staggering data and how reporting programs provide students and communities members with a trusted pathway to seek help and report concerns.
“These reporting programs can be life-saving channels for students and for a range of issues that are shaping the educational experience of our kids today.” -Lindsay Burton
[10:40] Empowering Students: How Anonymous Reporting Helps Student Express Concerns
It is a not a student’s job to vet a threat or concerns, but it is their job to report it to those with the power to help. Michele and Lindsay dive into how teaching students the channels to report and the process that what will be done with the information they share empowers them to step forward and speak up.
“We’ve found in our research that students are more willing to come forward when there’s transparency around what happens on the other side of a report and whether the school is going to take their report seriously.” -Lindsay Burton
[13:25] Securing Engagement: The Path to Successful Community Involvement
Effectively leveraging a reporting system requires more than buying technology and making an announcement informing your community. Michele and Lindsay discuss some of the most common challenges to community-wide adoption and how to overcome these obstacles.
“We have found this to be the most critical element of any bystander reposting program—the overall climate of trust and connectedness between students and adults in the school, where students know that the adults care about them and their well-being.”-Lindsay Burton
[23:50] Defining Targeted Violence: The Reality of this Rising Danger
Targeted violence is on the rise nationwide and the thing that keeps parents, educators, and administrators awake at night. While it is more complex to address than spontaneous violence, it is not impossible for schools to prevent it. Michele and Lindsay talk about what this type of violence entails and how schools can be proactive against it.
“Targeted violence is long form. It’s bubbling over a very long period of time, and we have the opportunity all along that pathway to notice these things and intervene.”-Michele Gay
[27:40] Recognizing Concerning Behavior: The Warning Signs to Watch Out For
Reporting systems are not only effective in preventing targeted violence—they are also powerful tools for supporting student wellness and mental health. Michele and Lindsay explore a wide range of warning signs that community members can look for to understand whether a student is on the pathway to harm, either of themselves or others.
“If we understand the baseline behavior of an individual, when we start to notice any major deviation—appearance, the way they’re talking, who their hanging around—we can see a timeline of concerning pivot points in behavior.”-Michele Gay
[30:30] Ensuring Continuity of Support: The Importance of Recording and Sharing Behavioral Data
One of the biggest challenges in effective behavioral threat management and reporting is ensuring student records follow them through their K-12 career. Michele and Lindsay discuss the obstacles to this level of reporting and how vital it is to ensure that each new school that welcomes a student is aware of their baseline behavior and needs for support.
“Schools are asking for the guardrails that allows them to share information in a way that is protective of individual students showing concerning behavior but also considers the safety of everyone else.”-Michele Gay
[33:45] Learning More: Where You Can Find Additional Information on Bystander Reporting
Lindsay shares additional resources that will help listeners dive deeper into the importance and application of bystander reporting in their communities. Be sure to scroll down on this page for links!
Check out These Additional Resources
Dive into these resources for more information and strategies to empower your community to take ownership of their own safety.
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