The use of physical violence on students affronts democratic values and infringes on individual rights; furthermore, a study of school violence found a high correlation between physical punishment and violent behavior of students. (Author/MLF)

Making students' responses to the news a legitimate part of the early childhood curriculum contributes to their overall sense of safety and well-being, a necessary condition for effective learning to occur. Examples illustrate how children bring news violence into their play, effective responses, and how to talk about disturbing news. (MLF)

The author of "Reaching Up For Manhood" discusses troubling social/environmental conditions confronting boys. Raising better boys requires caring adults, safer risk-taking situations, positive reinforcement, and role models. Parents should monitor boys' media exposure, provide moral education, broaden their cultural and natural-world…

Many schools are using evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs to prevent certain student behaviors such as bullying and harassment, drug and alcohol abuse and violence. The changing of students' social and emotional behavior requires more than skill lessons, as it requires attention to the environment in which students learn.

Mike Rose wrote "Possible Lives: the Promise of Public Education in America" (1995) to enrich the conversation about public education's alleged shortcomings. The nation's "best" classrooms vary considerably, but all are respectful, physically and emotionally safe, and intellectually and socially vibrant places. Parents and…

Adults need to acknowledge the nature of this world more frequently in their discussions of youth violence. The media's focus on retribution and punishment reflects the popular anger over "bad" kids. Seeds of evil have sprung from an unkempt societal garden where widespread child poverty, disintegrating home environments, child abuse, a…