Violence in Schools: How Can School Violence be Prevented?

1. Violence in Schools:How Can School Violence be Prevented?

2. John-Kevin FlynnStudent # 200391068 Education 6290Memorial University of NewfoundlandNovember 24, 2005

3. Presentation Outline • Introduction • The Issue of School Violence • Morality in Today’s Schools • Servant Leadership • Conclusion • References

4. Violence in Schools:Introduction

5. Introduction • Violence in schools has increased in recent years • “How can school violence be prevented?” • 1) causes of school violence by looking at the psychological issues involved and the risk factors associated with school violence. • 2) Preventative measures such as proactive school plans, evacuation procedures, and establishing spiritual, psychological, and social anchors for these young people are outlined. • 3) The roles of families and school principals (leaders) are also discussed.

6. Introduction • 4) school violence is analyzed from a morality perspective. • lack of remorse of students who commit violent acts in schools, the absence of moral teaching in today’s curriculum, and the values that students form throughout their educational careers are presented. • 5) resolving these moral issues • to increase the amount of moral teaching in curriculum, redefine the role of the guidance counselor, bring in “Forensic Counseling teams”, possess strong leadership (administration), and develop relationships within the community.

7. Introduction • 6) Servant leadership is connected to school violence prevention. The concepts of building community, establishing empowerment, and fostering relationships are key components of servant leadership. They are also elements that are linked to violence prevention. The philosophy of servant leadership is debated as school violence is examined from a leadership perspective.

8. Part IThe Issue of School Violence

9. The Issue of School Violence • 23% of students said they had been a victim of an act of violence at school. (Bennett-Johnson, 2004) • In a 2002 survey of high school students “over one third of the students admitted they had been in a physical fight in school” (Boulter, 2004, p.27). • 21.8% of the young school children between age four and nine had committed at least one of three serious offences (stealing goods worth more than $100, entering and stealing, or fighting with a weapon). (LeBlanc, McDuff, Charlebois, Gagnon, Larrivee, & Tremblay, 1991)

10. The Issue of School Violence • Between 1994 and 1999, school associated deaths increased. In fact, 50% of these deaths occurred during school activities and events. • Approximately one million students in the United States carry guns with them to school (Boulter, 2004).

11. Part IThe Issue of School Violence:Causes of School Violence

12. Causes of School Violence • Why do students become involved in violent acts? • The reasons haven’t changed: Romantic relationships, money, property, rivalry, and victimization. Boulter (2004)

13. Causes of School Violence • The difference is that students are “choosing guns and bombs as their premeditated method to resolve conflicts and are senselessly attacking multiple victims at random to express their anger, frustrations, and revenge” (p.28). • Violence is used to resolve issues.

14. Causes of School Violence • The School Violence Resource Center (2002) suggests that there are risk factor domains that contribute to the high levels of school violence. • These factors include: 1) individual risk factors 2) family risk factors 3) community risk factors 4) school risk factors

15. Causes of School Violence • Bennett-Johnson (2004) • high concentration of poverty = 1) have more crime, 2) higher incidences of drug and alcohol abuse, 3) teenage pregnancy, and 4) violent crimes. • learn behaviours from ‘role models’ • crime becomes a way of life

16. Causes of School Violence • Biological and Environmental Factors • Garbarino (1999) Biological Factors: Temperament and Resilience Environmental Factors: Child-Rearing Styles and Connections With Others

17. Causes of School Violence • Biological Factor: Temperament • emotional self-regulation Thomas, Chess, and Birch (1968) distinguish between three temperament styles in babies. 1) Easy Babies 2) Slow-to-warm babies 3) Difficult babies • Flannery and Williams (1999)

18. Causes of School Violence • Biological Factor: Temperament • emotional self-regulation Thomas, Chess, and Birch (1968) distinguish between three temperament styles in babies. 1) Easy Babies 2) Slow-to-warm babies 3) Failure/Deliquency=Difficult Babies • Flannery and Williams (1999)

19. Causes of School Violence • Biological Factor: Resilience • The ability to recover from a traumatic or stressful experience. - Positive Coping Skills - Sensitive and Vulnerable (cope with the release of aggression and/or development of depression)

20. Causes of School Violence • Environmental Factors: Child-Rearing Styles • Different child rearing styles will change how a child perceives rules and complies with them (Garbarino, 1999). 1) authoritative parent 2) uninvolved parent • If the parents do not show a child limits and teach them to have self-control, the child will grow up unhappy and will often be violent (Garbarino, 1999).

21. Causes of School Violence • Environmental Factors: Connections and Relationships • 1) Connected Relationships • 2) No Connections - They often act out violently to deal with their feelings.

22. Causes of School Violence • combination of many factors, experiences, and situations • the more factors, the greater the probability of violent • How can we reach these students?

23. Part IThe Issue of School Violence:Preventative Measures in Dealing with School Violence

24. Preventative Measures in Dealing with School Violence • Preventing school violence involves: - planning, preparing, and taking an active role in affecting lives • metal detectors? • planning and preparing

25. Preventative Measures in Dealing with School Violence • All stakeholders should be involved • Bennett-Johnson (2004) outlines: 1) Evaluate school building plans 2) Evacuation procedures and routes 3) Specific roles for staff members 4) Bennett-Johnson (2004) believes that teachers must “learn and teach conflict resolution and anger management techniques to their students” (p.201).

26. Preventative Measures in Dealing with School Violence • Boulter (2004) also describes factors associated with violence prevention. • positive values and relationships • connections = anchors (cope with negative experiences, such as neglect or abuse) 1) Spiritual anchors 2) Psychological anchors 3) Social anchors • connections = redirect the pain, give a positive avenue, and develop self worth

27. Part IThe Issue of School Violence:The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention

28. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • 1) Family members and 2) School leaders • Family members include parents and any other guardians or key influential role models of these young people. • Leadership can come from any position at the school.

29. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • 1) Family • Parents, guardians, and leaders of the family • Stevens, Lynm, and Glass (2001) give the following tips to parents and family members with regard to violence prevention:

30. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • Stevens, Lynm, and Glass (2001) 1) Give children and adolescents consistent love and attention. 2) Young people learn by example, so eliminate violence in the home. 3) Settle arguments without yelling, hitting, slapping, or spanking.

31. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • Stevens, Lynm, and Glass (2001) 4) Teach nonaggressive ways of problem-solving by discussing problems and setting rules for appropriate behaviour. 5) Be aware of what your children watch on TV, movies, and video games. Watch with them to discuss or limit violent content.

32. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • Stevens, Lynm, and Glass (2001) 6) Be sure children and adolescents do not have unsupervised access to weapons such as guns. (p.2766) • positive moments = less violent aggressive behaviour.

33. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • Parents, however, are not on their own and should not be on their own. • Leaders of the school community have a very important role in influencing good behaviour in young school children.

34. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • 2) Leadership • Leadership within the school community must come from everyone. • The school administrator is only one person • The principal: facilitate and guide • One of these ways is through the development of a leadership team (Leone, et al, 2000).

35. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • 2) Leadership • any school plan must have support • The leadership team could consist of: regular and special education teachers, assistant teachers, guidance counselors, parents, students, and community members

36. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • 2) Leadership • Relates to the Risk Factors • Thus, the leadership team could also work in “collaboration with mental health, social service, law enforcement, and other community agencies” (p.12). • team effort

37. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • Brunner and Lewis (2005): “A Safe School’s Top Ten Needs” • Brunner, a high school principal • Lewis, a director of school public safety and the president of the National Association of School Safety and Law Enforcement Officers

38. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • The school administrator, the leader of the school: 10) anonymous reporting system; 9) monitor the school for safety deficiencies; 8) should not assume that parents believe the school is safe; 7) review the school’s emergency response plan with all staff members;

39. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • The school administrator, the leader of the school: 6) should not assume that students will bring safety information forward; 5) school emergency response plan reviewed by many; 4) should not assume that local emergency service providers will arrive immediately during a school crisis;

40. The People Who Play the Most Important Roles in Violence Prevention • The school administrator, the leader of the school: 3) Should not assume: “present or in charge” during a school emergency; 2) documentation and records; and 1) strategic supervision planning can prevent serious emergencies from happening (p.22). • Overall, Preparation and Communication

41. Part IIMorality in Today’s Schools

42. Morality in Today’s Schools • Lack of morality? • Isolated events, or major societal issue? • moral leadership perspective with possible solutions

43. Part IIMorality in Today’s Schools:Is a Lack of Morality Contributing to Violence in Schools?

44. Is a Lack of Morality Contributing to Violence in Schools? • Dr. Carole Rayburn (2004) found that youth with violent behaviour have an undeveloped or seriously damaged moral conscience and spiritual emptiness (p.356). • C. Bradley Thompson (1999) looked at the killing that has occurred in schools.

45. Is a Lack of Morality Contributing to Violence in Schools? • C. Bradley Thompson (1999) Extremely violent murderers “know nothing, feel nothing, and care about nothing; they are emotionally and morally impotent” (p.51). • Safe and caring environment? • Contributing factors resulting in violence…

46. Is a Lack of Morality Contributing to Violence in Schools? • Thompson (1999), the author of the article Our Killing Schools, is a college professor in the United States. • Recently graduated students entering his college classroom…

47. Is a Lack of Morality Contributing to Violence in Schools? • Thompson (1999) 1) students are unwilling to make moral judgements; 2) students think highly of themselves and do not take criticism well; 3) they are poorly educated; and 4) they hated their high school experience (p.52) • He sees our public schools today as “intellectual and moral wastelands” (p.51).

48. Is a Lack of Morality Contributing to Violence in Schools? • Students are taught that all lifestyles are equal and should not be judged. • Everything and anything is acceptable. • What they do is the law. • Eric Harris, one of the Littleton killers (Columbine),“My belief is that if I say something, it goes. I am the law.” • Their Own Moral System (Thompson, 1999)

49. Is a Lack of Morality Contributing to Violence in Schools? • feedback = positive reinforcement • feel good regardless of whether their ideas or actions are praiseworthy or not. • high opinions of themselves, • criticism from others = aggressive and violent behaviour

50. Is a Lack of Morality Contributing to Violence in Schools? • Through all the praise, these students have learned that criticism is wrong. • The moral system: right = feel good and wrong = feel bad (Thompson, 1999) • good, or right, is linked directly to the pleasure or happiness for these children (Strike & Soltis, 2004, p. 12)