A state voter proposition concerning gun regulation motivated a local far-right political group to organize a pro-gun rally on campus. Overriding the safety and security concerns of faculty and students, freedom of speech rights required that the group be allowed to assemble on campus. The case explores interactions among administration, faculty,…

This report provides a comprehensive review of the literature on restorative justice in U.S. schools. The review captures key issues, describes models of restorative justice, and summarizes results from studies conducted in the field. The review was conducted on research reports and other relevant literature published, or made publicly available,…

Seven schools in an economically challenged area of an urban school district in central California implemented mentored peer mediation programs under the guidance of a university-K-12 partnership project, Mediator Mentors. Individual student outcomes for social-cognitive dispositions, perceptions of school climate, conflict strategy choices, and…

Educators can help reverse the trend toward violence. An elementary school in South Central Los Angeles has adopted a Straight Talk about Risks (STAR) program enabling children to resolve problems peacefully and develop skills in critical thinking, recognizing and controlling anger, resisting peer pressure, and distinguishing between real-life and…

California is the only state to require school-violence training as a condition for state certification of teachers, school administrators, and pupil service personnel. This report presents findings of a study conducted by the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing's advisory panel on school violence. The study identifies the…

Government officials, researchers, and especially educators must consider the "big picture" as they develop strategies to address violence in schools. This report presents findings of a study conducted by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing's advisory panel on school violence. The study identifies the effects of school violence on…

This collection of papers provide a range of data on dealing with violence in the schools and communities, focusing on risk factors and correlates of youth violence, how violence affects young people, and how schools can help students avoid violence. The papers include: "Youth Violence in the United States: Major Trends, Risk Factors, and…

It is the view of these authors that children learn to be peacebuilders in the context of relationships where, if fortunate, they experience guided practice in interpersonal skill development around conflict. "Mediator Mentors", the program described in this article, is a school-university partnership in which Teacher-Education…