Reducing School Violence Through Conflict Essay

It is alarming how more and more violent acts are being done by young students these days. A lot of factors can influence them and can be blamed but still there are not enough programs or ways to stop these acts. Everyone, including the media, community, and government, should be involved in this situation because these young people do not realize the graveness and seriousness of their outrages. There is an interrelation between preventing violence and resolving conflict (Johnson & Johnson, 1995, p. 5). This is seen with Project Schools Teaching Options for Peace (S. T. O. P) and The Safe Harbor Program. The former is a conflict resolution program while the latter deals with anti-violence. The two programs produced positive results in that it gave students the opportunity to change with regard to the way they see things. It gave them the chance to talk about what they were dealing and to resolve their conflicts. It made them understand themselves better, as well as to understand their environment and the people that surrounds them better. It made them feel that they are not alone and that there is help when they need it. Young adults or teenagers have a lot on their minds that most older people do not understand. At times, these young people are misunderstood and, therefore, ignored. The problem is, when they are ignored, it is the time when they would probably do things that they would soon regret. This is the reason why it is important that programs that would provide help and support should always be available especially to students. It may seem like a small step but to these young people, knowing that someone is there for them actually means a lot. Reference Johnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. T. (1995). Reducing School Violence Through Conflict