Category Archives: Preventing violence

Anti-bullying bill: Did NJ go too far?

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640

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 Reporter Chris Jansing posed the question on NBC Nightly News last Wednesday (Sept, 7, 2011).  Her report focused on the implementation of New Jersey’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, signed into law January 6, 2011, by Gov. Chris Christie.

Both houses of the New Jersey legislature passed the anti-bullying bill in November 2010, with strong bipartisan support and wide margins.  Driven by the highly publicized case of homophobic cyber-bullying, resulting in the suicide of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, the law is considered the strongest, most comprehensive anti-bullying legislation passed so far in any of the 50 states, as governments attempt to address  social problems with stringent laws.

Several sources included in Jansing’s report cited the unintended consequence of adding strain on school systems imposed by the new anti-bullying bill — systems already dealing with a host of social problems in addition to violence and bullying in schools.  Specifically, they pointed to the additional training requirements, the appointment of anti-bullying specialists in each school and the manadatory requirement to report all incidents of bullying.  [pullquote]Is zero tolerance blocking flexibility right up front?[/pullquote]
The issue not addressed so far is whether yet another “Zero-Tolerance” policy is the wisest approach to social problems.  In its laudable, swift passage of the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, did the legislators have to impose a zero-tolerance policy, which inherently diminishes the ability of teachers and administrators to use wisdom and discretion in incidents which are unique and complex?

Is the zero-tolerance approach to social problems just another example of “get tough on crime” laws which provide emotional satisfaction to voters and policymakers, but which bring a host of unintended results and court orders?  One need look no further than the crisis in prison overcrowding, which can be traced directly to the passage of “get tough” policies such as “three strikes and you’re out,” or mandatory sentences for specific offenses.

Certainly, bullying in schools and communities, cyber-bullying and violence of all kinds demand swift and wise responses.  But the question should be asked:  why not address child welfare through a range of options — including mediation, peer counseling, anti-bullying curricula such as this and this,  and books — as part of broader focus on creating what Dr. Tom Cavanagh has called a “culture of care” in schools?

Raising these issues about zero tolerance policies is not intended to detract from the value of the landmark legislation now being implemented in New Jersey.  I applaud this bold and comprehensive effort to address the range of social problems posed by bullying, harassment and violence system-wide. In fact, maybe these actions in New Jersey will play a role in “helping seat-of-the-pants peacemakers see they are not alone.”

The Healing Power of Storytelling in Sudan: Another Gem from Odyssey Networks

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Milcah Lalam is a peace building development specialist who serves in war-torn countries, focusing on the devastating trauma of war. She specializes in helping victims of rape and abuse, women, children and the many people who are displaced by endless war in their homelands.

In her work with RECONCILE International (Resource Centre for Civil Leadership), she helps survivors of a wide range of war-related trauma work toward healing through the process of storytelling, whether through words, drama or visual arts. Listen as she describes an example of reconciliation and the reunification of a family, even after the attempted murder of a husband by his enraged wife.

http://www.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_nkrnen0f/uiconf_id/48501

Click here to subscribe to Odyssey Networks, a multi-faith media coalition.

Summer Camp Counseling Ain’t What it Used to Be

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There was a time in the ancient past when the biggest dangers of summer camp meant mosquito  bites, chiggers, lots of swimming and conoeing, stupid handcrafts, mystery food and fun with friends.

It still means all that, but today’s camp counselors, who are often on the forefront of peacemaking and conflict resolution, now have to watch out for cyber-bullying.  So many campers today have access to cell phones and text messaging, the issue of cyber-bullying has come to the attention of risk managers, the insurance people who stand to lose big bucks if abuse occurs to kids at summer camp.

Many summer camps are operated by churches for their youth groups.  In today’s environment, camp counselors have to look beyond first aid and the usual adolescent adventure and experimentation.  Now, they also have to be concerned about cyber-bullying.  Unless camps totally prohibit cell phones, their campers are often able to send bullying messages for and about their fellow campers.

The threat has caught the attention of insurers who attempt to protect against this liability.

As a recent posting pointed out:
afety issues are clearly evolving at church summer camps operated on Church property, contracted out to others onsite or at distant locations. Increasingly, the physical and emotional dangers children and teens face on school grounds are traveling seamlessly to camp, aided by technology and changing patterns in group behavior among young people. Learn how you can keep the youth in your care safe.

This message is from an agency which insures the Episcopal Church.  But, given the millions of dollars the Roman Catholic Church has had to divert from critical social programs simply to pay for egregious past abuse and neglect, it’s understandable that insurers of camps across the religious spectrum would voice their concern.

 

Serving on the front lines with youth today entails much more that it did just a few years ago.  Bullying and abuse happens digitally, perhaps as much as it does in person.

Counselors and parents will benefit from reading the guidelines at this site.

Will your kids’ camp be on the alert for cyber-bullying?

 

 

 

 

10 Recent Links to Funding for Youth and Juvenile Justice Programs

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Below are Ten (10) Links to Foundations and Grants that will be helpful in funding your Youth Justice and Juvenile Justice activities.  Special thanks to, “Making the Time for Juvenile Crime.” -Scott Peterson

The Youth Today Website has a great listing of grants from private and public and links are provided for each listed opportunity.

The Foundation Center at Philanthropy News Digest lists primarily private corporate and foundation funding and grant opportunities.

The National Clearing House for Family and Youth at the Administration for Children, Youth and Families has a listing of grants and these are primarily federal grants.  If your special interest is in protecting children, click here.

The Grantsmanship Center has a clickable map where you click on your state and you are provided with a listing of community and state foundations and Corporate Grants. Raising money from grants entails careful organizational self- assessment and planning, long before you submit a skillful proposal.    Training is available from The Grantsmanship Center.

Have you seen the new Grants listing at Spark Action?  It’s worth spending time here if you are a concerned teacher, counselor, parent of a troubled teen, or advocate for youth.

Grants.Gov has a user friendly website where you click on the federal agency for funding or you can click on categories like Youth Development or Justice Grants.  Click here

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) lists funding announcements directly from OJJDP and they have a map to funding sources in your states.

The National Criminal Justice Reference Center has a listing of a wide range of criminal and juvenile justice grants.  While at the website – join their e-newsletter to get updates.

The Open Society Institute and Foundation offers a wide range grants.  Yes – this is foundation of Billionaire George Soros and they have many outstanding opportunities.

The Global Youth Justice Website lists all of the above funding opportunities and hundreds and hundreds more.  Check out the Famous Resource Links Button at the Global Youth Justice

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Wise Words from Men to Men

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Men Stopping Violence is a strong presence here in the Atlanta, GA, area.  They’re all about accountability and responsibility, and their programs draw on the higher instincts in men to end violence and abuse of women.  Chapter of MSV are all over the world.
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Men Stopping Violence is not a “bumper sticker” organization.  They’re not about “lock ‘em up and throw away they key.”  They are not afraid to do the hard work of helping men of all ages look deep into themselves for their own reasons for committing violence against women.  It’s painful, courageous work.  It’s a lot harder than simply putting offenders in orange jumpsuits and warehousing them in jails.

Sometimes the first step to making peace is simply not committing violence.  Sometimes that first step is not so simple.  Training and peer support helps immensely.  It’s about creating a culture of care.

preventing domestic violence and violence againsst women through peer counseling and support

Men Stopping Violence worldwide offers training and counseling to prevent violence against women.

Men Stopping Violence worldwide is an indispensable resource in addressing the causes of violence, looking first within to the hidden justifications for the abuse and humiliating treatment of women.

“Bully” Helps Middle Schoolers Confront School Violence

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Matthew Kuehlhorn

You might not think of a middle school counselor as a “seat-of-the-pants peacemaker.”  If your child is facing daily bullying, you might see him in a different light.  If your child is withdrawing from life, suddenly uncommunicative, maybe you think about talking to the school administration.  If you are lucky, you will find someone like Matthew Kuehlhorn.

Matthew Kuehlhorn is a Colorado middle school counselor who is passionate about helping create a community of care in schools.  He is exploring ways of implementing Restorative Justice methods in his workplace — your child’s school.  At my invitation, he submitted the following.  Recent postings in fairnessworks.p1r8.net have featured examples of programs which implement restorative, peacemaking methods.  Matthew’s efforts are a timely example of what an individual can do to help create peace.

Matthew is passionate about a graphic novel entitled, Bully.  I hope you will check this out and find ways to implement his peacemaking passions into your own local school.

Bully is an educational illustrated novel.

An illustrated novel

The book is designed to “Ignite the Voice Within” classroom, as he terms it.  Bully is an illustrated novel that teaches relationship building skills and introduces restorative justice practices and theory.

Bully is an amazing story where characters talk directly to middle school readers. The story is emotionally charged and very real for students in today’s classrooms.

After speaking with an educator who used this book in individual sessions, Matthew says, she remarked:

“I have had readers tell me that they have not finished a book in five years. They love this book and have a high interest in finishing it. The book offers great conversation topics which can affect student behavior in our school–for the better!”

Students report this book being like “real life” and the feedback has been amazing.

Bully is 130 pages, which are broken into five sections with “Ignite Now” lessons offered.  Lessons teach:  how to listen, how to tell our story so it gets heard, how to feel empathy, and the book concludes with introducing talking circles and restorative justice.

The book is authored by Teresa Milbrodt, a published short story author and Creative Writing Professor at Western State College of Colorado.  Compelling illustrations were created by Nathan Kubes, a freelance artist, also in Gunnison, CO.

What other people say about Bully:

“I had students, who had not finished a book in years, unable to put this book down.”
Middle School English Teacher

“This is like Real Life”
7th Grade Student

“I recommend this book for students, parents, teachers, counselors, administrators and those people interested in education.”
Dr. Tom Cavanagh

Dr. Tom Cavanagh

 

Dr. Cavanagh, whose current focus is on creating a “Culture of Care” in schools,  has published a review of Bully which can be viewed at:

http://restorativepracticesinschools.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-book-addresses-bullying.html

If you are a school teacher or counselor, and have ideas about reaching the potential peacemakers in your local community, please share your comments below.  I’d suggest this mental exercise:  what Google searches would your students’ parents enter to find help for their concerns troubled teens?

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