Tag Archives: conflict resolution

‘Zero Tolerance’ of bullies? Hungary’s schools offer another response to conflict mediation

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As school boards, state and local governments draft legislation to respond to increased reports of bullying, the term “zero tolerance” often comes up. When New Jersey recently implemented its sweeping “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights,” the “zero tolerance” formula appeared in several news reports.

I posed a question to a restorative justice discussion group on LinkedIn.com, asking if a zero tolerance approach is the wisest choice for conflict management. Not surprisingly, the RJ practitioners and volunteers who responded were unanimous: No, it is not the wisest approach.

One member, writing from London, England, pointed me to a video — Intertwined –produced by a school-based conflict management program in Hungary. When he added that the video includes English subtitles, I gave it a click, and I include the link here and embed the video below.  The fairly fast-paced video includes a lively music track.

Readers who are familiar with restorative practices will immediately see those practices acted out in the various scenarios by the students and faculty. Instead of isolating, stigmatizing and expelling troublesome students, the program emphasizes creating an inclusive climate through peer support and engagement. Conflicts aren’t ignored or dismissed, but they are not reflexively handled through heavy-handed discipline or ostracism.

Special thanks to Martin Wright of the Lambeth Mediation Service, and contributor to the website RJ Online.

Intertwined – community conflict resolution in school from Balazs Benedek on Vimeo.

What Professions Make the Best Peacemakers? Maybe Yours!

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. . . regardless of the letters behind your name, your career, your job, your background, you can build peace in your community.  –Brad Heckman, CEO, New York Peace Institute, posted in the blog, The Hecklist.

While wandering the web looking for items that might “help seat-of-the-pants peacemakers see they are not alone,” I stumbled upon The Hecklist.  In a posting which asked the question, “Which professions make the best mediators?”, the excerpt above jumped out at me.

I spend a fair amount of time thinking about the kinds of people who are drawn to the role of peacemaker or mediator.  An obvious way to approach the topic is simply to talk to people already employed in conflict resolution and mediation, but that doesn’t really get to the heart of my hopes for this blog.

I’m certainly interested in learning (and sharing with my readers) all I can learn from professional mediators engaged in conflict resolution.  My real passion, though, is to find people in all walks of life who seem to find themselves in the impromptu role of mediator.  That’s who I mean when I say in the subtitle of my blog, “seat-of-the-pants peacemakers.”

It was enlightening and encouraging to me to read Heckman’s list of professions represented in the mediator pool of the New York Peace Institute:

Hostage negotiator, United Nations diplomat, Broadway producer, judge, NYPD detective, animal rights activist, stand-up comedian, closet space organizer, homemaker, lawyer, doctor, dog trainer, transit worker, mussel farmer, TV producer, journalist, actor, philanthropist, mystery novelist, social worker, marketing executive, stage manager, artist, IT guy, taxi driver, domestic violence advocate, court clerk, limousine company owner, cat breeder, bar owner, glass blower, religious leader, linguist, editor, musician, homeless shelter supervisor…

Just a few moments spent reading “What’s New at New York Peace?” makes it clear that the Institute takes people beyond the “seat-of-the-pants” stage by offering them training and leadership skills to be effective in dispute resolution.  I’m still left with the question:  ”What brings these people from such a wide assortment of professions into formal training?”

My quest continues, and now it will include frequent visits to the Hecklist.  Thanks, Brad, for a delightful read.  I especially enjoyed reading about NYC’s East Greenwich Village Mosaic Man.  I recommend it and your other musings to the readers of Fairnessworks.com.

 

In Colorado: Crime Victims’ Right to Know Restorative Justice is Available

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Restorative Justice legislation is moving ahead in the Colorado Legislature, in the form of  HB-11-1032.

It acknowledges a crime victim’s right to know about restorative justice, and to choose to participate in restorative process.

This legislation is being carried forward by Colorado State Rep. Pete Lee (reppete@gmail.com)

(If the link above does not work, copy and paste this link into your browser:  http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2011a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/
D9ABC2E028CA4D3487257808008012EA?Open&file=1032_ren.pdf)

Isn’t it worth a few keystrokes to send Rep. Lee a message of support?  Is this some news you could tweet or repost?  How hard is that?

Special thanks to Lisa Rea.

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Meet Janice Jerome: A Passion for Peacemaking Circles and Restorative Justice

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A friend from my church’s Education for Ministry class offered to introduce me to a practitioner and trainer of Restorative Justice methods, the kind that utilizes peacemaking circles.

Janice Jerome, peacemaker, mediator.

On a rainy, ugly Saturday Georgia afternoon, Janice Jerome drove 45 minutes to share her passion for peacemaking with me.

Janice burst forth from her truck, offering a welcoming hug.  No handshakes for us!  She returned to her vehicle to retrieve a book bag filled with a mini-library.   She shared with me two books from the series, The Little Books of Justice and Peacebuilding, one by a grandfather of the restorative justice movement, Howard Zehr, the other by Kay Pranis, a noted author, trainer and practitioner in the field, based at the Minnesota Office of Corrections.

Right away, Janice disabused me of the notion that Peacemaking Circles are limited in application to the justice system.  She reeled off a list of settings in which the methodology has worked, based on her own experiences.   Wherever there is a community facing a challenge, a conflict, a rupture, the method offers the potential of restoration and wholeness, she said.  Success depends on the community members, she said, though it seemed clear to my “newbie” eyes that the facilitator brings much to the process.

Janice believes there are individuals who know early in life that they are peacemakers.  Their circumstances will vary, but their orientation toward peacemaking is distinctly present.

At some point during her presentation, Janice commented, “You may have noticed that I haven’t said anything about God or Jesus.  That’s because God is a given.”   I asked, “God is the ground of our being?”  and she went right back into her presentation.  I took that to be a yes.

Among her mentors, Janice counts Dominic Barter, who pioneered the use of restorative circles in the poverty-stricken favelas of Brazil. [pullquote] [Editor's Update:  Dominic Barter, will be sharing the Restorative Circle process during a 5-day learning event in Champaign, IL October 12-16., 2011.][/pullquote]

As we shared a few personal experiences,  Janice pointed out the difference between love and understanding.  The primary thing is love, she said. Understanding may not come right away.  The point is, love is what we have to offer, even before understanding comes.

To reach Janice, email her at:  Janice.Jerome@live.com

What makes a Peacemaker tick?

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Peacemakers.  Mediators. Negotiators.  What makes them tick?  Don’t they hold any strong beliefs or opinions they’d rather defend than compromise?  Are they squeamish about disagreements, conflicts, arguments, so they feel compelled to plead with all parties to “be nice”?

Or, do they really believe there is a middle way to be found, even in the hottest conflicts? Do any of them really believe peace is possible between sworn adversaries and parties to blood feuds that have lasted for generations?

This blog will explore peacemaking and mediation in its many settings, with a special focus on the individuals who feel called to stand in the breach and dare to envision the possibility of agreement, conciliation…maybe even PEACE.

Naturally, peacemakers on the world stage will be subjects for discussion.  But this blog will look first to the schoolyard peacemakers, the classroom teachers of fairness and mutual respect, and the people of conscience who stand up to bullies in all settings.

No discussion of peace can go very far without incorporating the idea of justice.  There is great wisdom in the slogan, “No justice, no peace!”  It’s more than likely the concept of Restorative Justice and Peacemaking Circles will enter the conversation early and often.

Before venturing, like a peacemaker, into the fray, however, I knew I’d need to look first for signs of a sense of humor among the practitioners of the peacemaking arts.   Let’s face it, the idea of being the person who brings peace can tempt even the humblest to grandiosity and bloated ego.   Evidence of self-deprecating humor among mediators would be a promising sign.

Fortunately, John Kenyon showed the promised might be fulfilled in his posting, Mediation Jokes II, at mediate.com:

Judge Roberts chipped out of the bunker for the fifth time and grumbled “I don’t know how you managed to get your handicap down again. I don’t have any time to practice with all the cases I have on my docket.” “Well I’ve got a full docket as well, but I don’t actually try them all. I send every case to volunteer mediators and that reduces my work load by two thirds. And the best bit is it doesn’t cost a penny!” said Judge Fowler lining up a 15 foot putt. Judge Roberts looked confused “Why would anyone volunteer to mediate court cases for free?” “Oh its simple.” replied Judge Fowler beaming as the putt went in. “Thirty years ago we told them it would provide social justice, improve community relations, provide the underprivileged better access to the legal system, and be the first step towards world peace. Don’t you just love it when the socially responsible forget they live in a capitalist system?

So, if you are a peacemaker/mediator with a sense of humor, have at it.  Or, if you are a wannabe peacemaker with a little idealism and plenty of questions, you are welcome here.