peaceable schools and communities

Research and Publications

Peaceable Schools Letter to the Editor appears in Boston Globe, February 2, 2007, in response to recent school violence.

AS THE larger community struggles to understand the recent tragedy at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, we believe it is important to look at the root causes of such incidents. We see what happened as part of a larger culture that glorifies violence, devalues people who are different, and encourages the use of force to resolve conflict.

John Odgren was reportedly bullied and teased in school. We see bullying and teasing as a direct result of this culture of violence. We also noticed how we represent violence done by white young men as opposed to that done by young men of color. Violence from young men of color, who are rarely depicted as "set apart" from their peers, is viewed as the norm, their acts more often linked to criminality.

If we are to understand and prevent these tragedies, we must acknowledge the powerful influence of the wider culture. We must value all children and help young people and adults alike to treat each other with respect and understanding. Only then will we stand the chance of building peace in our communities and the world.

KRISTEN HANDRICKEN, ORA GRODSKY

Cambridge

The writers are members of the Peaceable Schools Group, Center for Children, Families and Public Policy, at Lesley University.

PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES FOR DOWNLOAD OR PRINT

• Creating and Sustaining Peaceable School Communities, Linda Brion Meisels, Steven Brion Meisels and Cathy Hoffman, Harvard Education Review, Vol. 77, No. 3, Fall 2007
  
• Talking About Peace in Time of War: Some Guidelines for Adults, Steven-Brion-Meisels [pdf]

• Beyond Banning War and Superhero Play, Diane Levin [pdf]

• Guidelines for Helping Children During the War, Diane Levin [pdf]

• Nine Actions We Can Take to Help Children Deal with War in Iraq, Steven Brion-Meisels [pdf]

• The Ten Cs: A Model of Diversity Awareness and Social Change, Patti DeRosa and Ulric Johnson [pdf]