This week’s bombing at the Boston Marathon marks another tragic event in our nation’s recent history. At EDC’s headquarters just outside of Boston, we feel particularly connected to and concerned about this tragedy—not just because of the close physical proximity to our office, but also due to the nature of the attack.

Culture and language are within us, and affect everything we do—how we dress, think, and even how we form attachments. —Lisette Rivas-Hermina, MA, LMFT, in Spotlight on Culture: Linguistic Competency, The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

With so many negative stories in the media lately about our nation’s youth—from bullying to school violence to drug and alcohol abuse—it can be a relief to hear about efforts being made to prevent youth from engaging in behaviors that can put their future at risk.

As communities wrestle with the best way to keep schools safe, the potential benefit of placing police officers in schools is receiving renewed attention.

Most teachers and parents would admit that some kids thrive more than others in the classroom. Some of these differences can be attributed to issues such as poor attendance and learning disabilities, but it is no secret that poverty is often part of the problem. Children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds often come to school less socially and emotionally prepared than their peers, thwarting the best efforts of educators.