COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS - ADDRESS CONFERENCE ON VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM IN THE SCHOOLS, APRIL 29 - MAY 1, 1976

• NCJ Number: 35626
• Author(s): D BAGIN
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 0 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-A-2788-1-A
• Sponsoring Agency: Kansas Governor's Cmtte on Criminal Admin
• Corporate Author: Kansas State University
• Sale Source: Kansas State University; Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

IN THIS TAPED CONFERENCE ADDRESS THE SPEAKER DESCRIBES A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM OUTLINES SPECIFIC PREVENTION PROJECTS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

Abstract

NOTING THAT THE TRADITIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND PARENTS HAS DETERIORATED IN RECENT YEARS, THE SPEAKER CALLS FOR A RENEWED ALLIANCE OF THESE TWO GROUPS TO END THE PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM IN THE SCHOOLS. HE CLAIMS THAT THE SCHOOLS MUST ADMIT THAT THEY CANNOT COPE WITH THE PROBLEM ALONE, AND ARGUES THAT PARENTS MUST RECLAIM THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR RAISING AND DISCIPLINING THEIR CHILDREN THAT THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY DELEGATED TO THE SCHOOLS. HE STRESSES THAT SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM IS A COMMUNITY PROBLEM, AND THAT THE COMMUNITY - NOT JUST THE SCHOOLS - MUST WORK AGAINST IT. FOUR MAJOR TACTICS THAT WILL HELP TO END VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM ARE DESCRIBED. THESE ARE: 1) TO INSTILL A SENSE OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SCHOOLS IN STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY; 2) TO STIMULATE PUBLIC PRIDE IN THE SCHOOL THROUGH GREATER STUDENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT; 3) TO PRAISE STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS; AND 4) TO PERSONALIZE THE SCHOOLS AND CREATE A MORE HUMANE AND CARING ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS. A COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAMS APPROACH FOR THE SCHOOLS IS ALSO OUTLINED. THIS APPROACH INVOLVES: 1) CANDIDLY ADMITTING THE PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM; 2) HOLDING A MAJOR NEWS CONFERENCE TO OUTLINE THE PROBLEM AND THE SCHOOL'S PLAN FOR DEALING WITH IT; 3) APPOINTING A TASK FORCE ON THE PROBLEM; 4) ENLISTING THE HELP OF 'KEY COMMUNICATORS' IN THE COMMUNITY - PERSONS WHO HAVE WIDE INFLUENCE AND CONTACT WITH OTHERS - TO DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION AND KILL RUMORS; AND 5) OBTAINING INPUT FROM SCHOOL STAFF AND STUDENTS ON THE PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM. SEVERAL SPECIFIC COMMUNITY IDEAS AND PROJECTS ARE ALSO DESCRIBED. AMONG THESE ARE MOBILIZING CITIZEN BAND RADIO OPERATORS TO MONITOR SCHOOLS AT NIGHT, OFFERING CLASSES TO PARENTS ON HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR CHILDREN, USING SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR AS MANY EVENING ACTIVITIES AS POSSIBLE AND OFFERING INSERVICE TRAINING FOR TEACHERS ON HOW TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM STUDENT AND HOW TO PERSONALIZE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH STUDENTS. FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES OF TAPES FROM THE VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM CONFERENCE, SEE NCJ-35621, 35623-35627, 35629-35635, 35637, 35638, AND 35640-35645.