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The Robert H. Jamison School YFJ team members
focused on the violent acts that have occurred in their school over the
past year and the consequences set up by school policies. The team’s
research showed that, in the span between August and March, more than
460 students in the school had been suspended. The data also showed that
more boys were suspended than girls; however, more girls got into verbal
confrontations. The team’s overall goal was to work to give fellow
students the skills to manage and peacefully resolve conflict in their
lives without resorting to violence.
After their initial research, the team members interviewed several
students regarding the reason for their suspension(s), and asked what
they could have done to prevent the encounter from escalating. Many
students shared that if they had the chance to talk to a trusted adult
about the situation, it could have been avoided. Others knew that they
should have just walked away. Discussing these incidents with their
peers led the team members to realize that many students desire conflict
management strategies to help them through the issues they are dealing
with, both inside and outside of school. Of the students who were
suspended for weapons or violence, many felt that their desire to
impress peers or neighborhood gangs led them to make these choices.
Members of the YFJ team participated in several
Cleveland Community Forums to address their concerns and to gain a
community perspective on the issue of school violence. Through their
participation, team members met with safety personnel, Cleveland’s Gang
Unit, and Cleveland City Councilman Zachary Reed. Students also
attended various summits, including Girl Empowerment and the Cleveland
Metropolitan School Districts’ Youth & Family Summit, to learn better
methods of conflict resolution. The YFJ team used this information to
create a more effective mediation program. Team members also gained
spots on the school’s newly created Safety Team. Through the Safety
Team, they met with community leaders and the school board to discuss
school-wide intervention programs as well as to modify classroom
curriculum to enhance communication skills and build confidence –
important skills for successful conflict resolution. Finally, the team
scheduled speakers to reinforce the lessons on which they had been
working on and to be positive role models. |
