Several high-profile incidents of violence at U.S. schools have, understandably, raised concerns about the safety of students while at school. Just one incident of violence causes significant harm. In light of this, it is important to examine commonly held beliefs about school safety and violence because they sometimes reflect a misperception or misunderstanding of what is actually happening. The questions presented in this report examine several common beliefs pertaining to school safety statistics and provide evidence to support or dispel each of them. Though improved understanding alone will not allay fears about school violence, hopefully this examination will facilitate informed discussions about school safety. A list of National Data Collections is appended.