Every
school in Santa Barbara County has a campus safety plan to help ensure the
protection of all children.
In
addition, prevention programs are also is use at most schools: peace education,
conflict resolution, anger management, peer mediation, and lockdown drills, to
name a few.
Clearly
there are no guarantees that these programs can address all the concerns of
educators, parents, and community members as they continue to monitor the
safety of all students.
Fortunately,
some basic steps can help parents provide effective support to school and
community programs.
First,
the philosophy of a nonviolent lifestyle begins in the home, where parents can
model appropriate behavior.
For
this reason, conflict at home can be used as teachable moments and discipline
at home should never be physically severe.
When
there is a difference of opinion in the family, provide a good example by
settling those differences with words. Don’t yell, interrupt, or threaten.
If
your children see that disagreements can be settled by calmly talking things
through, by being persuasive, and by being respectful, they will be far more
likely to settle their own differences with peers in this manner.
Local
schools can provide information about effective alternative methods of child
discipline, such as “time out” periods or suspension of privileges. These help
children see that consequences for doing something wrong do not have to involve
physical punishment.
These
are not cure-alls for violence, but they help create a strong foundation for
the values we hope every child will embrace.
