To provide a safe and secure school environment conducive to learning with the cooperation of students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and the community.

On August 14, 1998 the Georgia Department of Education announced the arrival of Georgia's toll-free, anonymous school safety hotline. 1-877-SAY STOP is the nation's first state-sponsored school safety hotline and is one example of the Georgia Safety and Violent Task Force's accomplishments.

The hotline is designed for crisis prevention. If students know of an unsafe situation in school (weapons violations, bomb threats, drugs or alcohol, bullying, etc.), they can anonymously pass on that information through the hotline, initiating immediate and appropriate action.

Depending on the urgency of the call, the hotline operator will contact the appropriate law enforcement agency. Next, the local school system will be notified and will be asked to inform the Georgia Department of Education of the outcome and subsequent actions taken in conjunction with the call.

Of course, not all hotline calls are emergencies. The hotline is also a valuable information resource for educators, administrators, parents, and anyone who may have questions regarding safety in Georgia schools.

For additional information or to watch the GaDOE's video, please visit the Georgia Department of Education website by clicking on this link.