Safety from the Inside Out

• Old-fashioned discipline models such as “zero tolerance” don’t serve to make schools safer. They model bullying as they add fuel to the fire by responding to signs of student distress with ever-harsher measures. Sheer force won’t make bad stuff go away. Skill building behavioristic approaches that are ineffective for academics are also ineffective for character building. The pressure of standardized testing also reduces or eliminates time for programs to promote conflict resolution and reduce bullying. Focus on awards and honor rolls creates winners and losers as they focus more on results than on what is good for each child.

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