THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 19, 1995 TAG: 9502170252
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY SUSAN W. SMITH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 170 lines
VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS is a serious problem.
And students at Oscar F. Smith High School are serious about finding solutions to it.
They have organized an innovative student group, called the Student Safe School Advisory Board, to help administrators, faculty and staff make their school a safer place and to help their fellow students understand that there are ways to settle differences without resorting to violence.
Their message is emblazoned on banners and hanging from bulletin boards throughout the school: ``Peaceful Conflict Resolution.''
``The first order of business every day,'' explained Dr. Glenn Koonce, the school's principal, ``is to provide a safe and orderly school.'' Members of the Teen Council believe students have a role in meeting that objective.
The students, who include freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors, were selected for the teen board because they are involved in a variety of school activities. Some are cheerleaders and student council representatives. Others are involved in wrestling, track or basketball. Some are involved in student-mentoring programs, mediation groups and after-school jobs. But they share a common interest in keeping their school safe and free from violence.
Members of the teen board have summed up their intentions with their mission statement:
The Oscar F. Smith High School Student Safe School Advisory Board reviews issues and offers recommendations to the principal regarding an educational environment that is safe and orderly.
Students Jaime Shultz, 17, Garry Smith, 17, and Chris Sahami, 15, stayed after school one day recently to put up posters in the school's hallways.
``We're serious,'' said Ibn Taylor, 18. ``But, if it's going to work, everybody must work at it - not just the committee members.''
The program is designed to teach students to resolve conflicts in a healthy, positive way. The students are eager to share the details.
``We need to learn to respond,'' said Shultz, ``not react.''
``The board has two expectations that they want to pass on to the rest of the student body and school staff,'' explained Koonce. ``Respect, which means appreciation and consideration for others, which leads to mutual respect. And we want to learn how to deal with conflict and anger in a positive way. This means we want to avoid fights.''
``I've seen too many little fights, that escalated into too many big fights,'' explained Dallas Wood, 16.
``Respect,'' said Wood. ``You learn it. You earn it.''
Other students nodded their heads in agreement when asked about school violence. Differences of opinion can now often result in pushing and shoving matches or fights. Guns and knives are showing up in schools more than ever.
Guidance counselors, peer mediators and members of the teen board are stressing an individual's responsibility for his or her own behavior, regardless of the action of others.
Peer mediation programs, like one called ``Pals for Peers,'' have been in the school system for several years. Student volunteers are trained in listening skills and taught to recognize signs of stress or tension. They encourage their friends to find someone to talk to when they feel anger building or when a situation is getting out of control.
Board members understand that conflict is natural in life. Their goal is not to avoid conflict entirely, but to learn to deal with it in acceptable ways.
``We are just getting our feet wet with this program,'' said Dallas Wood. ``As students, we see some of the problem areas, and now we have some input into rules and regulations.''
``Students are the key players,'' said Ann Wood, faculty adviser to the council. ``Teachers and staff are getting some very valuable and insightful feedback from our students. We are looking forward to continually adding students to the mission.''
``This is our school,'' said Latharius Artis, 16. ``We need to take care of it and of our friends. We also want to send out a challenge to make good things happen here.''
The principal's address at the beginning of each semester emphasizes the conflict-resolution program. The winter semester speech was videotaped and broadcast via closed circuit television to the classrooms.
The address included advice about what to do when conflict arises, learning to respect oneself, faculty and other students and gave hints about how to form better relationships.
Resorting to violence when conflict arises is not an acceptable alternative, Koonce said. He stressed that students who attempt to handle conflict through violence are suspended. Carrying guns or knives is grounds for expulsion.
The students reviewed the tape of Koonce addressing the issues formally from behind his desk. They liked the message, but they had some advice for their principal.
``You need to loosen up,'' advised Susie Sawyer, 14. ``We want the students to hear the message and not be turned off by a lecture.''
They suggested that Koonce film the same talk from the gym and maybe wear a sweatshirt instead of a coat and tie.
Koonce agreed, then listened to their other concerns and requests.
Smith saw a need for additional yield or stop signs in the school's parking lot. Koonce asked faculty member Ken Richardson, Detective Tim May and Smith to review the situation and make a list of specific suggestions.
Sawyer thought it would help for the team to observe a fire drill. Several days later, Taylor pulled the fire alarm and teen members watched as their building was evacuated.
Dallas Wood questioned whether chairs in the hallway were a safety hazard, and Artis commented that a few students didn't seem to take the fire drill seriously enough.
``Friends ask me what I'm doing,'' said Dallas Wood, ``and I like to tell them.''
``My friends think it's cool,'' said Artis, ``and they ask questions about what we see.''
``Students also pass on valuable information or suggestions.'' said Dallas Wood. ``Sometimes it's more comfortable for our friends to talk to us, and sometimes, just in passing, we hear a recommendation that's worth bringing back to the group.''
The teens have had other opportunities to experience activities in their school that students are not usually involved in: helping the police search for drugs and other legal substances, for example.
Kelly Weaver, 15, Shultz and Artis participated in and observed a search of the school by Chesapeake police and their canine helpers. They dubbed the search ``Operation Fur.''
Each of the students drew four numbered cards which represented lockers, classrooms and other areas such as the cafeteria, music rooms and the gym. The chosen cards became the targeted search areas.
Koonce warned the students that if the dogs detected anything they would have to leave the scene while the officers and administrators took over.
Shultz followed an officer as his dog, Carlos, sniffed lockers and book bags in the selected areas.
``I don't think we have a problem here,'' said Shultz. ``But if anyone is stupid enough to bring something to school, they deserve to get caught.''
After the search, the students and their principal met for a quick debriefing session.
``I learned that the search is fair and that no individual or area is purposely selected.'' said Weaver. ``I also think that the dog searches keep those who do drugs from bringing their stuff to our school.''
On another occasion, Cheredia Carter, 16, and Wood accompanied Detective May and Security Officer Anthony Frye as they went about their routine of patrolling the school grounds and directing traffic.
May put the students to work flagging traffic as they discussed a fight earlier in the day in the school cafeteria.
``They're supposed to be friends. Why would they act like that?'' Wood questioned. ``Haven't they read our posters?''
Later Taylor and Sawyer got a chance to see how quickly a carload of students from another school were turned away when they drove into a side parking lot.
``It made me feel safe,'' said Taylor. ``I also like the idea that we are patrolling and responsible for our own school. It's a preventative program. We are not going to allow trouble to happen if we can help it.''
``Isn't it great that students are affecting other students with positive ways?'' asked Charles Stukes, school administrator. ``Of course, everything that these students suggest may not be implemented, but it's very important that we listen.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
"RESPECT: YOU LEARN IT, YOU EARN IT"
Staff photos by STEVE EARLEY
``We need to learn to respond, not react,'' says Jaime Shultz, a
member of the board.
Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
Officer D.D. Jackson, left, uses a dog to check lockers for drugs as
Oscar Smith student Kelly Weaver and school administrator Charles
Stukes, right, watch.
Chris Sahami, left, sorts posters with faculty advisor Ann Wood. The
message on the posters is that students can settle differences
without resorting to violence.
Detective Tim May, left, talks with students Dallas Wood and
Cheredia Carter as they go out to direct traffic leaving the school
parking lots. Wood and Carter are on the teen board.
by CNB