Unedited Brainstorming Results
All the Students Thoughts, Just as They Presented Them
This section is organized as follows:
6.0 Appendix - Unedited Brainstorming Results
6.1 Brainstorm for actions needed to prevent School violence
6.2 Brainstorming - Future Vision - Year 2020
6.2.1 Brainstorm things that eliminated the causes of violence
6.2.2 Brainstorm things that prevent violence from happening
6.2.3 Brainstorm on things that an individual might be concerned about in 2020
6.2.4 Brainstorm on Societal Concerns
6.2.5 Brainstorm on reactions to less violence
6.2.6 Brainstorm on governmental concerns
6.2.7 Brainstorm on other subjects related to the absence of violence in 2020
6.3 Coping with Violent Behavior
6.3.1 Causes of violent behavior among teenagers
6.3.2 Ways to protect yourself against violent behavior
6.3.3 Ways to avoid violence
6.3.4 Ways to prevent violence
6.3.5 Recommendations for teachers and school officials
6.3.6 Recommendations for parents
6.3.7 Recommendations for law enforcement officers
6.3.8 Recommendations for other students
6.3.9 Other observations and comments
6.4 Is Violence Inevitable?
6.4.1 Violence is inevitable
6.4.2 Violence is NOT inevitable
6.5 Lateral Thinking about Coping with Violence
6.0 Appendix - Unedited Brainstorming Results
During the course of the two sessions, the students were given 7 brainstorming exercises related to violence. Some of the exercises consisted of a single statement or premise and others contained a list of premises. The students were encouraged to think freely on any or all of the premises and submit single-thought comments. The typical brainstorming exercise lasted less than 10 minutes and the longest about 20 minutes. The students generated almost 850 individual thoughts during these sessions.
With each student being able to see the accumulated comments of the other students, although anonymous, their own thinking was inspired by the comments of other students. The brainstorming results were then used in other processes with EMS as described in Section 2.
The results are presented here in the order created by the students. You can observe discussion among the students to clarify points and you can observe students corroborating prior comments. There are some duplicates and some restating of ideas. This is primarily due to similar thought processes, not mimicking another's comments.
There are many good ideas in this section that did not survive the process of elimination used by the students to pick their best ideas that appear in Section 3. The reader is encouraged to scan the appendix to glean the nuggets contained herein.
6.1 Brainstorm for actions needed to prevent School violence
1. put cameras in school classrooms
2. massive gun control
3. metal detectors
4. earning self esteem
5. have severe punishments for violent acts...not just suspension
6. have teachers teach self control and good moral character in schools
7. Divide students up in groups like the "buddy system" and have them keep an eye on everyone in there group
8. All violations of the rules should be punished on the first offense, and all punishments should be severe, even for minor offenses.
9. counselors on staff for advice
10. better teacher-student relationships
11. advancement in police protection
12. get students to inform officials when they hear about impending violent acts
13. put corporeal punishment back into schools
14. There are more guns in the United States than there are people...that's got to' make an impression...until we do something about the quantity of guns, the problem will remain
15. schools need to set up a system to teach about the bad thing about violence and watch out for things that may cause violence
16. teachers need to be on the same level as kids, so they can understand us better and we can respect them
17. Have freedoms dependent directly on the behavior of students. Responsible students should net have so many restrictions placed upon them, while misbehaving students need more restrictions. The idea of 'One Policy Fits All' is outdated and ineffective.
18. parent input into school activities and programs
19. counselors need to work on their reputation.
20. improved authoritative concern
21. psychology, at least elementary lessons, are not too advanced to teach small children to help them recognize dangerous behavior in others and themselves
22. all teachers must take a course in child psychology
23. More counselors should be provided for students, and even more importantly, the quality of counselors need to be improved.
24. kids need to talk about violence and get it out in the open that it's not cool
25. teachers check with parents of kid that they are concerned about and discuss ways to solve their problems
26. Make teachers give an evaluation on each student at the end of every week or month about any concerns they are having or any changes they notice in the students
27. create a good learning atmosphere in schools
28. teach self respect at an early age 3,4
29. eliminate gangs
30. more strict monitoring by education systems of employees
31. less warnings, more action
32. teacher background checks-for quality, psychological disorders, temperament and police record
33. at least 1 security guard in each school
34. law enforcement officer comes to school and talks about violence and how to prevent (mainly elementary schools)
35. authority figures need to care about what is going on, not just make pointless rules and regulations
36. Problems need to be dealt with individually. Trying to control all problems that might arise with blanket rules will not have the desired effect.
37. deal with each student individually
38. government needs to restrict the purchase of guns by households
39. teachers talk about racism and try to prevent at an early age
40. Less emphasis should be placed on school sports and other such activities, as such competition often causes violence. Example: Shades Valley vs. Mountain Brook football game.
41. constantly keep kids doing things in school that are entertaining and educational, not busywork
42. let students take responsibility for their own actions and punish them strictly
43. keep kids busy in school so kids won't have to go towards other things to pass the time
44. ask teens to talk to counselors whenever they have a problem, and make sure the counselors are available when the teen finally decides to come for help
45. overall, teachers need to start talking about how violence is bad when kids are at an early age
46. constant reminder of the effects of violence and the implications of violence in schools
47. cease to make school boring
48. show more concern from parents, teachers, law enforcement, government etc.
49. provide a stable, constant support system for students who need help with academic, social and home life-teachers, counselors and students
50. Reduce the school year.. less time to be violent leads to less violence.
51. allow parents to have the ability to do a background check on any teacher or school official if their child claims wrongful doing
52. give schools more power to punish
53. courses in modern thought so students can understand the rules and regulations they must live under and why it is proper that they should
54. let the children express themselves more in the school
55. make classes enjoyable so kids can have a positive experience
56. be fair in punishment, etc.
57. don't make principal and other teachers out to be bad and punishing people
58. don't permit students to put down other students
59. develop more varied extracurricular activities that involve the entire school community
60. ask teens about what they would want to change...
61. be positive and not just negative towards the students. respect them.
62. trust the students; just because a certain student can be a problem sometimes, that does not mean that he or she is necessarily lying all the time
63. more chances to interact with others
64. Remove the "minor" classification from the penal system. Kids aren't scared of the consequences of their violence, because for minors the consequences aren't really all that bad.
65. stern talking towards kids doesn't seem to work anymore, punish violent kids more severely
66. reduce the number of domestic abuse cases by setting up a neighborhood watch in every community
67. don't foster differences between groups or clubs in school-encourage everyone, not just the one that appeals to the individual teacher
68. make learning interesting to keep child's mind off of other violent actions
69. talk to violent kids and see what their problem is and work together to solve it.
70. Juvenile Hall can sometimes be more "attractive" than an abusive home life
71. counseling even when it is not necessary
72. be fair in dealing with students - no teachers' pets
73. troublemakers need to be dealt with seriously, don't just keep giving them the same old suspensions and punishments all the time
74. violent kids need more "violent" consequences such as forced labor
75. don't allow intense competition to arise among students
76. Identify problem children early. Take necessary action.
77. teachers should pick their favorite student and least favorite student
78. have better attitudes towards the students.
79. don't make school like a prison
80. mass school spirit is dangerous
81. give kids a reason NOT to get violent
82. understand that violence, of any form, has a root cause-don't automatically accuse and assume-innocent until proven guilty
83. encourage students to do more with their friends (group activities, projects, etc.)
84. increase the consequences of violent acts and then follow through--be consistent
85. if a teacher doesn't like one of their students, they shouldn't tell them that or deny that student any privileges
86. parents need to encourage students to do their best and not worry about bad grades if they know that the effort was the best they could do
87. Teacher's should NOT pick a favorite student, as other children would become jealous and resentful.
88. more extracurricular activities
89. pep rallies are feeding grounds for violence
90. smile
91. favoritism of students can cause major problems with violent children
92. every student should be in some form of an extracurricular activity
93. Don't encourage activities such as Pep Rallies. They are a waste of teaching time and just give more time for violence to occur.
94. increase the number of group activities in order to allow students to interact more with one another
95. Be strict and firm but, be FAIR
96. Let the students know the punishments for violence but don't give them any chances. punish them on their first offensive if it involves violence.
97. don't do any things which may cause heavy competition among students in the school
98. give people more credit as to capabilities of handling responsibilities...we are allowed to drive cars, but can't have access to comp.'s 'cause "we might mess them up"
99. encourage Pep
100. Schools should not try to harness and manipulate students. This often occurs when they try to encourage competitiveness in order to increase fund-raiser dividends or football ticket sales.
101. set up a student helpers group where students help people that are distressed or angry
102. self control is a must in schools. Find some way to relay that to the students
103. make it clear that wrongdoers are being punished for what they did.. not who they are
104. accentuate and develop the options available to students after school-there are other options besides one of hatred and violence
105. encourage Pep Rallies.
106. a smile from a teacher, principal, janitor, student, or anyone else passing in the hallway can make someone feel better
107. pep rallies are a way to release energy and brake the tension of schoolwork
108. don't encourage pep...people resent being made to do things
109. smile
110. sports are good outlets for aggression
111. set up the school to be a cheerful and peaceful environment
112. psychological exams are required for some specialized professions, but they should be extended to include everyone and should be done at an early age. there ought to be subsequent reevaluations every year. Students identified as trouble-makers should be more closely tracked the same way some schools track gifted students and offer special courses mandatory for those so they can get the kind of individual attention they need
113. don't smile at violent people
114. smiling is a "hippie "response...it's not a real solution
115. be Peppy
116. Sports should be privatized to the students personal life. Pep rallies make a private interest a public affair. That is inappropriate for a school system.
117. homework should be designed to make the student learn, not overload them with busywork and stress them out to the point of a severe migraine
118. agreed
119. don't reduce the harshness of a punishment just because the student is a good athlete or makes good grades; treat everyone the same
120. extra-curricular activities often hatch the anger which carries through school
121. smiling has been proven in psychology to boost the levels of serotonin in your brain...the chemical that makes you feel happy
122. teachers should not scold a student who makes a bad grade. They should offer assistance or private tutoring
123. respect us and you'll earn your respect
124. everyone should undergo a psychological test
125. get rid of trouble makers at the first sign
126. Extracurricular activities should be just that.. "Extra" to the "curriculum".. Time should not be allocated for them during the school day, as that is time that useful learning could occur. Extracurricular activities should be reserved for before and after school.
127. happy...one of those self-defined words....N/A
128. Students should be encouraged to participate in appropriate activities that contribute to society. In the end, that will be far more effective than any outlet for aggression.
129. Develop discipline programs that focus on the offender, not the student body as a whole.
130. Significantly reduce violence on TV
131. Teach that there are absolutes - right and wrong
132. active participation by administrators, teachers, parents, students in discipline
133. Have teen honor boards to deal with offenses
134. Encourage family values both in and out of school
135. incorporate conflict resolution as part of the curriculum in multiple grade levels
136. Respect the teen. He's not bad until he proves himself so.
137. Reward good behavior
138. Don't talk down to students
139. utilization of court system to address severe discipline problems
140. Develop incentives for good behavior
141. remove disruptive student immediately with special program to address their needs
142. Remember how stressful the teen years are and communicate with students.....parents and teachers both
143. Return to teaching fundamental issues, reading, writing, arithmetic.
144. organize opportunities for teens of diverse backgrounds to interact
145. See the child as the object to be developed, not tolerated
146. Try to reduce the availability and access to weapons
147. establish community based programs to involve community in supporting strong discipline
148. add more counseling resources for our schools
149. Reward creativity and individuality rather than uniformity
150. require good conduct from students and parents
151. Allow the parents to be involved in education
152. There needs to be positive reinforcement for good behavior and grades rather than isolation and ridicule
153. Limit media attention to school violence. Do not make it a national or even regional story.
154. Remind students to do their best both academically, morally and ethically
155. limit media attention to school discipline problems until situation fully understood
156. Keep score. Life does.
157. Teach that its alright to fail, but not to quit.
158. restrict youth access to firearms through legislation
159. implement college tuition program that provides financial reward for students not involved in any discipline problems
160. allow students to critique teachers in each class. confidentially
161. Find ways to incorporate the teaching of students to develop self respect and confidence in themselves
162. start good discipline program in early grades K-5, hold parents responsible
163. evaluate teachers on the critiques
164. always use team approach to handling discipline, not isolated to one person
165. Don't be so worried about the self esteem of the offender as in helping him accept the responsibility for his actions
166. security officers or police officers need to be in schools
167. Eliminate problem teachers and administrators. Nobody should be beyond scrutiny.
168. do not allow "foul" or "bad" language in schools
169. Let kids be kids
170. hold administrators more accountable in cases of incompetent handling of violence-prone students
171. Let offenders face a jury of their peers who recommend appropriate action to administration
172. require respect among students, teachers, administrators
173. Require school uniforms
174. Get students involved in helping others in the community - to develop that mindset
175. Teach kids that life is not always fair.....it isn't and we all know that.
176. Fairly apply the rules already in place for student conduct
177. Require at least one extra curricular activity for each student
178. allow schools to implement discipline programs such as cutting grass, painting, etc. not just expulsion
179. Give principals more power to remove poor teachers
180. Specifically help students develop life goals and ideas on how to achieve them
6.2 Brainstorming - Future Vision - Year 2020
Project forward to the year 2020. Presume that there is no school violence. Consider the list of topics below and comment as you choose.
6.2.1 Brainstorm things that eliminated the causes of violence-
1. racism is gone
2. everyone will be equal
3. punishments are more severe
4. "Problem" children are identified very early and dealt with through intensive counseling.
5. security will be top-notch
6. gun control
7. parents would be more loving
8. A Ph.D. is now required to teach any subject at school.. in addition, a psychology minor is required.
9. everyone recycles everything
10. violence probably won't decrease-if nothing else, get worse, though not necessarily in schools
11. education becomes more of a continuing, self-initiated, and private enterprise
6.2.2 Brainstorm things that prevent violence from happening
1. more law enforcement officers
2. Even small crimes, such as speeding tickets and jay walking, are severely punished. Thus little crime exists.
3. offenders are quickly dealt with
4. teens will be independent yet better at making life related decisions
6.2.3 Brainstorm on things that an individual might be concerned about in 2020.
1. higher divorce rate
2. Higher self esteem
3. self control is rampant
4. people have moral values
5. no more fantasy world
6. better awareness of right and wrong
7. hard work and effort are rewarded
8. Everyone understands that life isn't fair.
6.2.4 Brainstorm on Societal Concerns
1. greater technology allows for better education and entertainment
2. better anti-drug programs
3. it's not what I see...it's what I don't see....guns
4. can't we have a better sense of community
5. teens and parents are more open with each other
6. censorship = what you want to watch at the time
7. racism is almost eliminated
8. the terms "cool" and "uncool" will have lost all meaning
9. The characteristics encouraged in children will no longer be so gender typed (i.e., 'macho' or whatever) as they are today. Academics will have the social focus.
10. more sophisticated weapons
11. there aren't outcasts
12. everyone is accepted for who they are. not on some superficial values
13. people consider their family as their friends
14. the only civil rights are the right to excel without interference
15. peace
16. parents are good influences on their kids
17. people will respect other people and other peoples things
18. strangers smile at each other on the streets
19. no distinction between races, socioeconomic classes, religions, etc.
20. people won't litter
21. The equivalent to television no longer shows any form of violence or immorality.
22. peaceful messages across TV and movies
23. maybe the loving environment can help to eliminate the kinds of behavior termed violent in our nation
24. TV is not a influential because people realize that IT IS NOT REAL
25. teachers can teach more than what's in the text book
26. teachers aren't afraid to relate to their students and play an active role in society
27. people aren't afraid to walk in the streets at night
28. Lower population density. the effect of such a huge population is to isolate and, eventually, desolate.
29. transportation will become faster due to advances in technology
6.2.5 Brainstorm on reactions to less violence
1. more respect
2. school systems have improved
3. cliques are disbanded
4. more realistic computer programs
5. popular trends will be ignored
6.2.6 Brainstorm on governmental concerns
1. teens have been given more responsibility and more freedom, with consequences if their freedoms were abused
2. a decrease in the welfare state with fewer "inner city" economic and social problems
3. The government had been overthrown and replaced by one that actually works. Thus adequate funding is allocated to schools.
4. government (necessary) is fair and equitable
5. clean environment
6. I think "big brother" will be even bigger. There would be more police patrolling the streets
7. less lawsuits...more peace among people.
8. police enforce laws fairly
9. corrupt officials are booted out of office and replaced by efficient ones
10. misinterpretation of the restriction on media - complete censorship
11. prisons being overcrowded isn't a problem anymore
12. gun control has been made a practiced law
13. punishment will be more than just a stern talking to.
14. maybe world-wide peace would be a good way to begin the rejection of violence
15. police would not be worried about parking meters but teen distress
16. reconstruction of government
17. peace between government(disarmament)
6.2.7 Brainstorm on other subjects related to the absence of violence in 2020
1. virtual TV
2. renewed respect for natural processes
3. I think we are putting 2020 farther in the future than it is...think about 20 years ago...'78...that's basically the 80's and things haven't changed that much...we don't have colonies on the moon or anything..2020 is not but 20 years in the future
4. ever read "The Giver"...?
5. better air quality
6. school are more aware of events
7. someone invented a stress meter which we can wear on our wrists
6.3 Coping with Violent Behavior
Today, we have people who have a tendency to hurt other people. Please list ways to cope with such individuals. Please click on an appropriate topic for your comments in any of several categories.
6.3.1 Causes of violent behavior among teenagers
1. curiosity
2. peer pressure
3. How often has some one said, "Come on...you can kill him....it's fun...try it"....not very often...be serious...don't just use the "cookie-cutter" response, peer pressure
4. rejection
5. Need to feel superior to others
6. neglectful parents
7. depression
8. boyfriend-stealing
9. psychological disorders
10. TV
11. thrills
12. Lack of ability to cope with society and emotions.
13. media sources
14. bad school conditions
15. feel like they are an outcast
16. no remorse
17. expulsion
18. anger towards another person due to jealousy or just hate
19. drugs
20. disregard of the feelings of others
21. outlet for anger
22. easy access to guns or other weapons
23. parents aren't showing and teaching love to their children which will intern cause the child to do the same to others
24. rebellion
25. dysfunctional family
26. mean and harmful parents
27. not enough attention at home
28. gang related peer pressure
29. depression
30. easy to commit and act of violence if there are no punishments
31. neglectful or abusive family
32. domestic violence
33. need for attention
34. feelings of inferiority
35. low self aster
36. death in the family that had lasting impressions on someone
37. inability to comprehend their actions i.e. the act is permanent
38. wrongful channeling of anger
39. something' to do
40. incapable of coping with emotions
41. self centeredness
42. conflict with teachers
43. ignorance
44. to show power over others
45. no other interests
46. trouble with friends
47. violent background
48. raised by parents with mental history
49. absent parent(s)
50. LACK OF DISCIPLINE!
51. PARENTAL INFLUENCES
52. lack of self discipline
53. if we find the people who feel abused by the world around them, they often show violent tendencies because of anger toward the people they see as abusive
54. I offer a common excuse....
"Why?....Because I can"
55. because it is easy to commit these days
56. aggravating a person with little self control
57. stress
58. girlfriend/boyfriend "stuff" is merely a side issue...a very small factor in a much larger problem
59. giving a violent person good reasons to cause a violent act to occur towards you
60. not knowing how to cope with a situation-seeing violence as a means of dealing with it and getting away
61. gang-related
62. too much time on hand
63. nobody has the shared sense of reality that used to exist in previous generations because society has thrown out the old Judeo/Christian value system and there's nothing to replace it
64. bad teachers
65. lack of self control
66. no moral foundation has been taught to the student
67. provocation by another student
68. if their parents are violent then smaller kids may be violent too
69. Morality has degraded in all aspects of life: Television, music, even school teachers. This is the cause of the rise in violence.
70. Students have several motives that make them resort to violence. One is the media. Violence is in movies everywhere, television programs depict violent behavior among young people, and music talks about violence and the wild rhythms and loud noises are enough to make anyone go insane.
6.3.2 Ways to protect yourself against violent behavior
1. Walk away
2. Stay away from those with violent tendencies.
3. Avoid contact with demented students.
4. keep your own morals and follow them
5. say no to drugs
6. choose friends carefully
7. make wise decisions
8. know how your friends act
9. learn to read people
10. don't go to places where violence is often committed
11. avoid arguments and situations that could end up in a violent conflict
12. don't associate yourself with people of a violent nature
13. be prepared
14. learn how to "let the other person win" when something doesn't really matter - break the "everybody wants to be a cowboy" macho mindset
15. don't "egg" on a violent person or get them aggravated
16. do to others as you would have them do to you
17. avoid talking "big"
18. don't wear anything offensive
19. do not play with a bomb because it might explode in your face
20. have respect for other people and let them know it. then they will have the same respect for you, hopefully.
21. Be conscious of the fact that violence exists and know how to cope with it because you probably will soon be in some type of conflict where violence could prevail.
22. Don't take everything personal or offensive. The person who is talking about "mamas" are just insulting his own intelligence. just ignore it and go on. remember: in a fight, a bystander cannot tell which one is the fool.
23. Avoid being racist, sexist, etc.
24. don't speak of someone else's ignorance in a form that may provoke them to get in a fight with you (like insulting their intelligence or insulting their looks or other things that may offend them)
25. Make sure people know that you are not a violent person, and don't condone violent activities. Most of the time violent people will seek out other violent people. Also, if someone tries to "bully" you. Don't try to fight back. "Turn the other cheek." If you don't resist you won't be any fun, and they'll stop bothering you.
26. Don't make a habit of insulting others. Insults lead to resentment, which in turn leads to violence.
27. cope with your anger by yourself or with parents ; don't drag any peers into your problems ; it will only be another bag of tears
6.3.3 Ways to avoid violence
1. if you are mad, go somewhere to cool off. know your emotional state
2. avoid someone who is excessively angry at you
3. walk away
4. don't provoke
5. be sensitive to the other person.
6. think before you act
7. stay away from things that can cause violent acts to occur
8. create some self control
9. don't try to anger others
10. keep away from people or other influential things which would make you turn violent if you are in a bad mood
11. stay cool
12. know when it is time to walk away
13. stay away from violence even if it is not major because something is likely to escalate
14. have self control in all situations
15. know when you're about to blow up at someone and walk away
16. accept other people's views and opinions
17. avoid saying something or doing something that other people might take as offensive
18. give an angry person room to cool off; when the situation is already hot, there is no need to make it any hotter
19. if you think there is about to be violence, run away from the situation if there is nothing you can do. but, do try to stop the situation if you can.
20. talk through situations-people hear this all of the time, yet it actually works. Don't talk however until everyone involved has had time to reflect on the situation.
21. self control self control self control
22. go places in groups
23. if you experience something, talk about it. don't hold in your emotions. you become a time bomb waiting to go off
24. think before you act
25. don't be a wuss, take care of your own troubles in a good manner, don't rely on other people
26. I strongly disagree with the previous comment. The "I'm not a wuss." mentality is the cause of violence. If the world were full of wusses, we wouldn't have a violence problem. "Turn the other cheek."
27. if you know a person with problems, get them into therapy, don't let them end up to be psycho-serial killer
28. In addition to helping them find therapy, make youself available to listen. Often being able to discuss violent tendencies is enough to relieve them.
6.3.4 Ways to prevent violence
1. Metal detectors
2. Immediate expulsion from regular school systems of anyone participating in a fight or other violent activity. It seems to work for IB/RLC, as I have seen no fights during my time at the school.
3. Segregate violent students.
4. higher consequences for guns and other deadly weapons
5. better TV content
6. conflict resolution training can give alternative and peaceful methods for solving problems
7. focus on the offender with quick and sure actions. Don't make rules for the whole. That makes everyone suffer for the faults of the few and causes more anger.
8. better gun control
9. get morals back into teenagers lives
10. reward good behavior with privileges
11. corporeal punishment in schools
12. Violence is going to exist, but the quantities can be reduced...the solution is very obvious...gun control!....there are more guns in the US than people...until that issue is addressed, we are going to get no where fast
13. In Europe, and England, specifically, the violent crimes rate is much lower...as is their number of guns....notice a connection there???
14. opportunities for youth from different socioeconomic backgrounds, schools, etc. can help break stereotypes of others and see them as human beings
15. talk to people who are depressed or angry in a rational way
16. stress the family......most problems usually begin there
17. gun control is definitely an issue
18. provide opportunities to relieve anger and stress with sports and other physical activities. I find that punching a pillow helps
19. report any comments by other students to responsible individuals. Most acts of violence in school have been talked about by the individual that commits the act.
20. limit the amount of violence on TV and in movies
21. teach kids how to respect other people. teach how to cool off when you're angry and not to take it out on any living thing or do anything violent. anger is not the time to act.
22. put the chip on your TV
23. Provide more counselors, and more obvious access to counselors. Most instances of school counselors I've encountered are a joke. And one counselor for a school is far less than adequate. Often violent tendencies are relieved by simply discussing them with someone else.
24. guns don't prevent violence
25. more community opportunities for organized group socializing of youth (like sports, special interest clubs, etc.)
26. teach kids the difference between real life and television
27. get kids into a good church going environment; everything else will work out for the better
28. keep an open mind and always think rationally
29. in the history of RLC there has not been a single fight ever. It makes me wonder- is it the nature of the students(I doubt we are different; we all came from a normal school), or could it be the environment!
30. be a good neighbor
31. Provide opportunities for dealing with anger instead of acting out violently by making counseling readily available.
6.3.5 Recommendations for teachers and school officials
1. take an interest in students personal life
2. pay closer attention in order to notice odd or different behavior
3. getting the students interested in the business of learning at an early age is an important way to keep the child from becoming a behavior problem; the child will be too dedicated to work to want to participate in violence
4. have counselors that are an integral part of the school environment, so they are easily accessible to students' needs
5. teachers should at least minor in psychology so they are trained to identify irrational and dangerous individuals
6. Encourage a 'learning' environment where students are given freedom, but strongly punished for abusing it.
7. don't be tyrants but be firm and consistent with punishments, etc.
8. Give students more freedom. The more strict the supervision, the more the rebellious tendencies already present in students are fed.
9. don't treat kids like they are completely responsible, know that there are many other factors to blame
10. Deal with bad behavior quickly and thoroughly.
11. if you tell a child they are bad, they will believe you
12. don't talk to students like they are on a lower level then teachers are
13. Trust students until they prove they can't be trusted. Then deal with them appropriately
14. put corporeal punishment back into the schools
15. Clearly explain all rules and expectations. Don't resort to the "three strikes and you're out mentality"... The first time the rules are broken, take action.
16. use better methods to end violence such as much harsher punishments
17. teach good character and morals in the class rooms and encourage self control
18. monitor students' behavior and take interest in variations from normal behavior
19. don't treat kids like a piece of trash
20. show love and teach it to all children
21. encourage staying away from drugs and alcohol
22. take precautions when a student threatens you or another student tells you someone is talking about injuring you
23. encourage them to do things that interest them. don't put down what they like
24. create good environments for kids to learn
25. Teenagers almost always talk about what they are going to do before they do it, especially if it pertains to violence or breaking rules. Listen for such comments and don't brush it off as just comments made in the "heat of the moment."
26. if administrators followed the Code of Conduct rules and consequences that are already in place a lot of violent potential would be dealt with
27. if a situation becomes out of hand with a student, don't be afraid to go get help. you don' t have to handle the problem alone
28. take threats seriously
29. have at least one security guard on campus
30. delve into a violent student's life a little. understand why they are that way. then you can have a place to start. try to sympathize or relate. get on their level so they will listen to you
31. they should know what goes on in the school besides just teaching. if they watch out and know what is going on around them, they could become active in preventing school violence
32. set good examples in both school and personal life.
33. Do not create reasons for a student to harbor angry or jealous feelings by doling out unnecessarily harsh punishments or by playing favorites.
34. try to determine the grievances and disagreements between gangs and other rival associations and help, through time and gradual intervention, to mediate, if not resolve, such problems
35. treat troubled kids gentle; don't cause more problems to erupt
36. Understand that not all kids are bad.
37. Expect that a kid will behave well. React only when he doesn't.
38. The Bible says, "Provoke not your children to anger". Don't you understand that much of what you do is provoking when you don't respect and don't trust.
39. don't try to get your students to fear you
40. I think schools should be actively involved in preventing school violence because, after all, school violence does happen at school
41. most students think being good and making good grades is "uncool" and I think it should be taught that it is desirable
42. Reward good behavior with added privileges and respect. Make the persona of a 'good kid' desirable. Currently, it is anything but.
43. keep security at schools tighter...who can get in and with how much ease, etc
44. background checks on staff
45. If you respect students they'll respect you.
6.3.6 Recommendations for parents
1. teach right and wrong
2. teach responsibility
3. talk to your kid
4. show interest in your kid's interest and encourage them
5. do not get mad at them impulsively
6. watch for bad attitudes and find what's causing it {
7. Do not give children lots of unsupervised time. 'hanging out' at some unspecified destination is not an appropriate place. Be a parent.
8. open up and listen to their problems; then give them advice on how to deal with their problems. Believe it or not, teenagers do listen to what their parents say, sometimes.
9. expose your children to healthy environments all the time
10. teach your children about peace and how important it is...violence does not solve things
11. teach kids self control and morals in the home; be a good example
12. take active interest in school activities
13. don't neglect your kids until you see that they are totally out of hand. Start discipline early and end any tendencies for violence.
14. pay attention to your kids when they try to talk to you
15. don't do anything violent; children learn from their parents
16. know who their friends are and what type of person they are.
17. Give kids more freedom. A certain excitement exists in "trying to get away with something." Don't feed the rebellious tendencies of teenagers. Conversely, don't allow teenagers to get away with anything. Be clear about what you will and will not tolerate, and punish accordingly.
18. listen to your kids
19. trust that if you know you raised them right and that they will make right decisions. if you don't give them their freedom, they will feel like you view the as still a small child.
20. listen to your kids even if it doesn't seem like a problem at the time because they may be trying to tell you something
21. pick your battles very carefully. Small issues should not become big wars. Discipline should be used on a consistent basis.
22. if you are not able due to a lack of education, time or hindrances, make sure you're child is helped with school, emotional problems and any other activities. Don't let your child suffer because you cannot help directly
23. children most respect their parents while still very young. if taught at an early age by their parents the difference between right and wrong, and good and bad, then maybe the children can grow into responsible and responsive teens
24. parents need to show their kids that violence does nothing good. it only makes things worse. they need to be taught to respect other people. that is the main thing. if we all respect each other...then why would we want to hurt each other?
25. help them with their school work because if they are doing badly, then their mood can change and they may want to get back at the teachers because they don't want to blame themselves so they blame the teachers. don't tell them to bring up their grades all alone because perhaps they are doing as much as they can...if you get what I'm trying to say
26. parents have to prepare their children for the world. It's like a war, you wouldn't send your soldier out on the battle field with out any weapons. Make sure they have a sword and a shield.
27. make sure you treat your kid like you love them. make time for them and listen to what they have to say. don't blow them off for your interests
28. Taking away privileges temporarily, corporal punishment, and trying to make a child feel guilty are often the least ineffective methods of punishment. Simply letting them know your view and moral position is often enough to plant the seed of what is right/wrong. A child knows when he is doing something wrong. Simply express your disappointment, and the child's conscience will often be enough to keep him from repeating the incident, and this will also prevent the child from repeating the incident out of spite for the parent.
29. kids do what the see their parents do. you have to be a good influence on them
30. Authorize the kind of TV shows and movies your children are allowed to watch. If your child is a mature young adult and you feel that he or she is ready for a rated R movie then allow them to see it but watch it with them and talk to them about the consequences of following any bad behavior shown in the movie.
31. don't be violent or short-tempered
32. be reasonable when dealing punishments and restrictions
33. Don't expect more than your child can realistically produce. Children don't want to feel stupid or inadequate, and setting expectations above their abilities can cause such feelings, which may later be taken out upon friends, or even the parents, as violent actions.
34. don't always presume they did it. Look at the circumstances and help the child evaluate how they might have handled the situation differently
35. be
36. Do not automatically assume that children will behave. Trust is necessary in a relationship, but it must be earned. In a time when violence is rampant in society, parents need to take a far more active role in their children's activities.
37. know that right and wrong is a matter of perception and try to see issues from your child's perspective-times change, as well as values, interests and influences.
38. Don't impose opinions on your children, suggest.
39. Dispose of guns
40. trust your kid. if you're always checking up on them then they feel like you are expecting them to do something wrong
41. Hunting is no longer necessary as a way of life in most instances....and it's definitely not a "sport"!
42. (continuation of dispose of guns)
43. don't keep a gun in your house
44. Try to spend time with your children but also allow them to have time for themselves. But don't encourage them to be loners.
45. Know where you're kids are and give them a curfew that they will have to follow. be strict.
46. be a help to your kids; try not to be another problem
47. If you do have a gun in your house, keep it to where a kid could not access it.
48. Ask them to talk about their problems with you instead of letting feelings of anger and hate fester into acts of violence
49. Parents should be more sympathetic to what their children are going through. We have all been there before.
50. Don't dwell on the things that you're kids are doing wrong all the time. Give them encouragement and commend them on what they do right. You will receive better results and more respect if you're not always griping at them and on their back.
51. Give them advice if they need it and help them solve their problems. Don't add to their problems. Be supportive and caring.
6.3.7 Recommendations for law enforcement officers
1. punish the parents, through fines or jail time, for possession of weapons by a child and/or their child's criminal behavior
2. A parent should be punished if they allow their child to get a hold of weapons that are in the house, but they should not be punished for their child's criminal behavior if they did not influence it
3. Violent students should be punished severely. It must be enforced that crime has strong negative consequences.
4. keep an eye out for children who may become violent
5. make the sale, use, possession of any firearms illegal under the age of 21
6. keep a record of gun and weapon sales
7. don't be so high and mighty. kids learn to disrespect law officers because they are disrespected themselves
8. Some cops delight in punishing teens. No officer should enjoy arresting someone.
9. make the law enforcement a vital, active, and visible force in the community, yet not a intimidating or unapproachable one
10. don't harass kids so much that you make them distrust you and see you as a useless tool of society...that is not your job
11. FIX THE GUN PROBLEM!....THERE ARE TOO MANY!
12. make taking guns away from kids a priority
13. Apply the rules evenhandedly.
14. put cameras in classrooms
15. monitor gun sales
16. set up programs that teach kids about the effects of violence and how to avoid it
17. Practice what you preach and be good role models for kids.
18. beef up the security procedures so violence won't begin
19. Put more police on the force.
20. train officers for any kind of trouble with teens
21. monitor the streets and take some action against gangs
22. be there before the crime not after
23. don't eat so many doughnuts
24. teach children to respect the law
25. try to be friends with teens, not their enemy
26. talk to their parents about what they did wrong
27. none of the publicized school shootings had anything to do with gangs...we and the police should not get side-tracked...stay focused.
28. violence is more than what is publicized-teachers are held at gunpoint and fight s occur everyday-all is violence, but different levels exist
29. identify with teens as best as you can
30. you can't just show interest in kids who commit some form of violence. you need to show interest in kids who aren't violent. some kids are just seeking your attention
31. don't blow off misc. crimes like they aren't important
32. create a separate branch of law enforcement to help prevent school violence
33. watch teens carefully; nail them when it happens, don't give warnings
34. being a present force in the community is a very important part of fighting crime. If cops can get out of the car and back to walking the street in greater numbers the sheer presence of the men in blue can deter crime before it starts. this kind of presence is especially necessary in schools, but it should not be an intimidating force.
35. Don't treat odd looking teenagers(i.e. multicolored hair, odd make-up and clothing, etc) any differently than you would a "normal" looking teenager. They probably look as they do as a sign of rebellion. Acknowledging their difference only encourages and furthers this rebellion.
36. go to elementary schools and talk to the students (mainly kindergartners and 1st graders because they look up to police officers) about violence and how it is bad and ways to prevent it
37. don't obsess yourself with blood and gore and violence in movies and try to keep others away from that interest
38. if "kids" commit crimes, such as murder, rape, arson, etc., don't be afraid to punish or try them like adults. A message must be sent that these crimes have harsh, undesirable consequences and kids will not get off easy because of their young ages.
39. be positive in life
40. avoid judging youth by appearance-not everything is exactly what it seems
41. don't always think that when you see a youth there will be trouble. There are some of us who are good.
6.3.8 Recommendations for other students
1. observe classmates for unusual, depressive or possibly violent characteristics and tell, confidentially an authority figure
2. pay close attention to the moods of fellow students noting such things as family trouble, trouble with friends, and depression so that you can try to help the person. tell adults and/or counselors so that help can be gotten
3. tell someone if you know about others taking drugs or having mood swings or showing violent actions
4. Associate with friends who have interests in acceptable actifities. the 'wrong crowd' can be very influential in the degradation of a student's integrity.
5. be an example for others to follow and tell a person to cool off if they seem to be angry
6. don't be afraid to tell people how uncool violence is...if you speak up, others might listen to you
7. talk to a teacher about any disturbing behavior of a student
8. offer any assistance to any students in times of trouble
9. watch out for signs that might show a violent nature or intent and warn someone (teacher, another student, police officer) so they can be aware
10. encourage friends who demonstrate good behavior
11. know your limits. if the situation gets out of hand, go for help
12. watch out for friends and number one
13. Violence usually involves two parties. If someone is looking for a fight, and can't find anybody to fight against, then the fight won't happen. Don't encourage fights or violent behavior. And don't congratulate people for "winning" a fight. In fact, if any recognition is given at all, let them know how inappropriate such action was.
14. Keep your own morals and respect your peers. Resist peer pressure.
15. watch your back for any suspicious moods out of people
16. be supportive of your friends, believe it or not your friends sometimes have the biggest influence on you.
17. don't aggravate someone who is stronger and cares less about what they can do to you
18. Be good role models for fellow students. If a freshman sees a senior behave appropriately then he will be apt to follow the example.(but it will take more than just one "role model" to pull this off.)
19. so you thought about it.....think longer; think harder
20. believe some of the cliches you hear about putting yourself in potentially violent situations - they got to be cliches for a good reason. and you don't have to always reinvent the wheel when it comes to human behavior
21. if someone talks about hurting others, then assume they are going to hurt others. go and tell someone like your parents or a teacher
22. Don't be afraid to tell parents and authorities if something is happening or is going to happen. Preventing an act of violence is not ratting out on someone; it is keeping them from making a mistake.
23. if there's problems growing among peers, take care of it at the beginning or else things might get out of hand
24. listen to what goes on in the classroom and school because u might just prevent something drastic from happening
25. Do students feel stress in their daily lives?
26. If you see someone stressed out, encourage them away from the cause of the stress or encourage them to get help.
27. listen to parents and friends; they will look out for you
28. students feel different kinds of stress in their daily lives. they are different stresses than adults, but certainly just as important to us as adult stress is to adults
29. we have to think about our futures all the time. that's pretty stressful
30. if you're feeling stressed, move away from the cause of the stress.
31. learn to recognize your stress and act accordingly
32. That doesn't prevent you from recognizing the stress and taking some action.
33. What can you do when the stress becomes overwhelming?
34. that works for little insignificant stresses, but it's the big ones that are always there
35. be a friend - be kind and caring and sharing and open and supportive and honest and faithful
36. Do you feel free to communicate your needs with competent adults?
37. Or even more, do you know any or trust any competent adults that you can go to?
38. know the difference between movies and real life because movies are always dramatic and don't show the real outcome of violence
39. can you predict the outcome of your actions?
40. don't think that if someone can get away with a violent act on a movie, that you can get away with it
41. do you know your friends well enough to know whether they are depressed or angry and can you provide assistance to aid them back to mental health?
42. don't let events such as football games or pep rallies spark emotions that cause violent behavior-remember they are just games, not life-changing experiences
43. encourage positive behavior and discourage
6.3.9 Other observations and comments
1. I'm not entirely sure as to a solution to this violence problem, but I know what is not the solution..."education"....so many times, so called experts suppose that the solution to all problems is to educate the students as to effects or consequences, etc. I think this is NOT the answer. Many, I'm sure could also attest to the fact that these programs don't work. Prime example...DARE....I have seen this program fail miserable. Educating the children should not be a blanket response by the "experts" that think they have all the answers....Their arrogance annoys me
2. There needs to be a more positive influence on children starting when they are very young. There is so much on TV and other media sources that can influence a very young person(3 or 4 years old) to think that it is not a big deal or is something that is tolerated. I think that teachers, parents, newspapers, and TV, need to have more positive things for little people and try to cover up the bad things
3. In some respects, education *is* an answer. Students in environments where learning (not the wrote memorization that is often taught today) is encouraged and the focus is academic encourages students to clearly and rationally make judgements. The social aspects of life often cloud the priorities of students.
4. Children's parents have the most effect on their lives. Parents can teach peace or they can teach violence, but the thing that makes the child decide which path to take is what the parent actually DOES.
5. I don't believe that we should shelter the children, either.....There is no sheltering of human nature....Ever read "Lord of the Flies"...I rest my case.
6. it seems that some of the recent shootings in schools have been due to problems dealing with girl/boyfriends and matters of jealousy. Parents and teachers should not disregard these problems of children-they are very real, though possibly immature, and should not be taken lightly. Parents tend to think kids do not feel-emotions are underdeveloped or not understood, but that is not the case. All emotion should be taken seriously and dealt with in a sensitive manner.
7. Kids are heavily influenced by the shows they watch and the music they listen to. They want to be like their favorite singer or actor and tend to do what they see their ideal does. This isn't true in all kids but it is in a lot
8. You can't blame violence on TV and music because it takes a very weak person with little self control or moral values for that matter to mimic an actor or singer's personality if it is antisocial or violent.
9. The main responsibility rests with parents. A family can (and does) influence the values of the children it raises. Students should be encouraged to exhibit ethical behavior, and to pursue appropriate life styles. This is the parents primary role in life. Parenthood is a tremendous responsibility, and it must not be taken lightly.
10. Parents are going to have to start trying to solve their children's problems as if their parents would have way back in the but listen and understand to the problem and then solve. Believe it or not teenagers need role models more and more these days and obviously what greater one than a parent or some one that the teenager feels close to. But there will always be that time when teens a have to trusts their own understanding and stop depending on others, this is where most of the problems are ignited : )
11. though the answer to the problem may be difficult or hard to find; it is there. even the hardest puzzles can be solved through diligent inspection. the problem of teen violence can be better solved through introspection. the problem is in the way the individual values life and liberty and it must be dealt with on this kind of level by every person because everyone is capable of, and by virtue of this society prone to violence. everyone sometimes feels the urge to violent behavior, but when an aware individual recognizes this he immediately rejects the idea for its mere abhorrence. the problem is in the mind of the person
12. Popular culture has tremendous effect on children, and most of it is negative. Negative influences should be regulated or eliminated. Freedom of speech is important, but it does not preclude the parents right to decide what forms of society the child is exposed to.
13. TRUST GOD
14. Teachers need to be aware of all motives of violence and keep an eye on students to watch for warning signs. All people associated with the students need to take an active interest in the student's life and activities and promote staying away from drugs and alcohol. Media people need to keep a careful eye on what they are broadcasting and printing and be a little more aware of what could lead a person to violence. Students should be encouraged to learn about violence and monitor their actions and those around them
15. society needs to take violence more seriously. it can't just be something that a few kids in Alabama brainstorm about on computers....though it is a wonderful start. the whole nation needs to brainstorm and decide what kind of children they want to raise. violence is in the media and everything else. it needs to have negative tones or not exist at all.
16. Negative influence?.....as defined by whom?
17. we can't keep on devising better ways of protecting ourselves. We would soon be each in our own cocoon and loose all social contact and respect for each other. we have to deal with violence by making violence unacceptable in society. We need to be self policing as a primary step and group policing when a problem gets beyond what we can deal with individually.
18. Negative influences will have to be determined by the parents or legal guardians of the each child. It can not be dictated by the government or anything like that. Each parent must make a decision about what parts of popular culture they will expose their children to.
19. such controls are not feasible
20. With hundreds of students together in one place, violence will be likely to take place. But if people come together as one violence will soon cease to exist in schools. Take a stand!!! Lives depend on you.
21. you say the masses of people instill violence, yet you say come together as one and violence will soon cease to exist....when and if EVERYONE comes together as one, violence could likely arise from that situation....from disagreements, etc.....this is a very serious problem that is all-encompassing
22. the children learn these actions from somewhere, whether TV, friends, parents, or music. Put some limits on what kids are doing these days. Its harder growing up with all these new inventions of guns and bombs. Monitor programs that could do any harm to them.
23. Children must be dealt with on an individual basis. Blanket concepts like teaching values or religion in schools are not the answer.
24. I think whole neighborhoods and cities should get involved in preventing school violence because even if we pour every thought out onto the computer, it doesn't make any difference outside this room- "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
25. Proverbs 3: 6
26. IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD...
27. Possible suggestions included showing kids what guns can do so they won't want to do it....It doesn't work like that....it's like telling a kid not to have sex before they get married and handing them a condom at the end of "the talk"....It won't work
28. parents and teachers can make a big impact on kids. If teachers and parents would teach their kids self control and build good moral foundations in them, violent acts would be fewer in number and society would benefit greatly.
29. show teens another way to take out their aggression positively and creatively...
30. The community does nothing to strengthen the defense against violence. I think that school officials and city council members should meet regularly to discuss what can be done to prevent school violence. If every community takes an active role to eliminate violence, a lot can be done.
31. The emphasis on society needs to be changed from the heroes being the people who are stronger or faster or tougher. Those are worn out remnants of a bygone age. Today's social structure needs to emphasize compassion, intelligence, and contribution to society.
32. "WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE SWEET LOVE..."
33. Television does influence the highly influential people of this world. maybe it doesn't influence anyone here or anyone you know but it does. this was brought up in the Simpsons when kids were hurting their parents because they saw it on television
34. I don't think TV has as big of an influence as every body says does...
35. Can't we all just get along!!!
36. TV is a direct reflection of society. the movie-makers and entertainment people put on the screen what they think we think will think is cool. violence is apparently entertaining. just watch TV one day and see how many violent acts are committed. you'll be surprised
37. if TV had as big an influence as every one said it did I think worse things would be happening
38. it's not the big things that count...it's the mindset that desensitizes everyone to the little acts of violence
39. TV IS NOT THE ONLY INFLUENCE!!!1
40. TV is not the only influence, but it's a big one that is a part of the lives of most American kids
41. I can't stress enough...READ "LORD OF THE FLIES"
42. The whole concept of what is 'cool' or 'popular' is largely to blame for the degradation of morals in society. TV is perhaps a reflection of this degradation, rather than a cause of it. Less emphasis should be placed on what is cool.
43. uh huh!
44. IT ALL FALLS BACK TO THE PARENTS, IF THEY KNEW WHAT THEIR CHILDREN WERE WATCHING THEN TV SHOULD NOT MATTER...
45. Although TV is quite a big influence, it is not the only one. Parents, teachers, friends, all need to realize that they are also influences, whether bad or good.
46. I think that there is no gun control whatsoever in the US. so many people and children have access to guns. and I'm not just talking about handguns, I'm talking about big guns that have no business being in the world because all they are designed to do is kill.
47. it is a whole big combination that needs to work together. parents, teachers, TVs, and law enforcement officers need to all work together against violence. once we get the right combination, we'll have peace
48. The morale of the country has dramatically dropped causing violence to become a major problem. I guess we'll have to cope with it and be part of the solution rather than the problem.
49. Let's terminate the retardation here. This is supposed to be a serious endeavor.
50. yea!!
51. an eye for an eye...
52. and a tooth for a tooth.
53. Violence in schools - first thought....murder.. shootings, etc....I just remembered acts of violence such as rape by school employees....background checks should be strict as well as strictly enforced
54. Teachers qualifications are very important in preventing both types of violence. The proper influence that respectable teachers generate will go far towards fixing the violence of students, as well.
55. let the punishment fit the crime
56. politicians and other government officials, nationally and locally, should address socio-economic conditions that often are the background to problems with youth and violence(lack of parental influences at home, poor economic situations that leave kids "on the streets".
57. we talk about letting the students cooperate with the officials so lets sit them down together in this place in this and this environment and let them work together to come up with a plan
6.4 Is Violence Inevitable?
Brainstorm on the question, Is Violence Inevitable? Please comment your thoughts on both sides of the issue.
6.4.1 Violence is inevitable.
1. some people are going to be violent and nothing can be done about it
2. because of human aggressive drives
3. people are not being taught right from wrong
4. Violence is ingrained through thousands of years of evolution. Human nature can't be changed on a whim.
5. it(violence) is human nature...I make a reference to "Lord of the Flies"....no human being is born innocent
6. with a means and a motive it will happen
7. violence has become a way to gain power and people naturally want to have power
8. As long as outside forces such as gangs, drug, and abuse exist, violence will be inevitable
9. there is a human nature that cannot be avoided and is always there no matter what we do. resulting in violence is human nature when provoked
10. violence is inevitable when there is no other solution made evident to the offender
11. motives for violence have become so numerous
12. psychological disorders that cause some to be violent will always be there. these people can't fully control their actions
13. there is a main reason that violence is inevitable, because you can not instill ideas of self worth and the worth of others if people are not willing to be taught
14. It's a little depressing to think that violence cannot be removed from our lives.
15. so
16. ...so we just build better metal detectors and get on with life?
17. no....such was never suggested
18. Prozac
19. let's hope that we don't get to the point that medication is the only way to deal with problems.
20. not to deal with violence...merely depression
21. violence has always been human nature and if a person is provoked to the point of violence, then violence is inevitable
22. Pride is so strong an emotion that most of us will not allow ourselves to be taught a better way of living
23. Violence is an easy way out of situations, for many people. It is simple and direct. Many people will always take the path of least resistance.
24. You think people are violent to be noticed?
25. on occasion
26. though people may never admit it, most follow peer pressure. violence is not the norm, and that is a way to stand out from the masses.
27. violence is a quick way to relieve your body with tension or stress or whatever. there will always be violence because of this
28. There is present in the nature of every human being a savage, wild side that is hidden, but with our society degenerating as it is the savageness will emerge eventually
29. violence is inevitable because most people are prone to violence no matter how insignificant the violent act may be.
30. there is nothing that we can do to eliminate violence - even people who are trying to stop violence have violence in their human nature
31. Violence can bring gain. The majority of violence in society as a whole is not random violence for the sake of violence its self, but to procure material gain. This will always be so, and thus, violence will always exist is some aspect of society.
32. violence is an aggressive drive that stems from within, whether it was provoked by outside actions or not. If someone can't be taught or doesn't want to, you can't make up their mind for them
33. people are violent to be noticed, look at people who stalk for fame before they die
6.4.2 Violence is NOT inevitable.
1. There is a way to teach self control at an early age, whether it is in school, church, or the home and that could prevent a great deal of violence
2. Nothing is inevitable. Our society can correct its internal wrongs if we are willing to devote the time, resources and concern that will be necessary.
3. If people can change their thinking about other people, violence is not inevitable
4. people can learn to control themselves.
5. certain behaviors can be taught
6. Human nature is defined by environment. By increasing the quality of the environment we as a race are raised in, we can change the way people react to their surroundings.
7. We can learn to treat each other with courtesy and respect; hence, we will get along with less violence
8. teaching respect for others, and for yourself, violence can be avoided. We must instill ego and superego.
9. Violence is a natural part of human behavior. It can be said that violence or the violent thoughts will always be with us. However, there are some measures that can be taken to control the violent emotions. Values have to be taught at an early age and stressed throughout life. If values cannot be taught at home due to a dysfunctional family, they need to be taught at school. The same applies to self control.
10. therapists can help curb violence
11. human's are intelligent life forms, we can be taught!!
12. We can't continue building stronger walls to protect ourselves. we will isolate ourselves from society and thus have no society
13. violence can be avoided if there is enough self control to walk away or not provoke things
14. If communities and schools take an active part in leading kids towards a nonviolent behavior, then the school violence will decrease.
15. without a means...no matter what the motive....violence cannot occur
16. Please explain...
17. Violence is obviously not inevitable, as their are (or, more precisely, have been) societies with no concept of aggression or violence.
18. minds can be manipulated to resolve issues without using violence
19. Is it manipulation to be taught a better way to relate to others?
20. our surroundings play a big role in the carrying out of violence. If our society was less tolerant of violence in the streets, in the homes, and on the TV violence would eventually cease to exist
21. violence isn't inevitable because not everyone is violent.
22. To set up barriers between violent and nonviolent people would be counter-productive. By setting apart the violence we would only be creating a separate society - a violent one - which would affect the nonviolent society.
23. violence would be nonexistent if everyone had self control
24. Good thought! How do we develop this self-control?
25. if teachers teach at an early age that violence is bad, then it can be avoided easier and if the teacher is good, then it will have an effect on the kids that they might want to share with their friends}
26. To say that we can eliminate violence is questionable... to say that we can reduce violence is reasonable. Violence is not inevitable because if we can reduce violence, we can contain violence.
27. exactly
28. therapy is there to help people who use violence.
29. although violence is a part of human nature, that part can be suppressed with the help of society
6.5 Lateral Thinking about Coping with Violence
This was probably the most difficult brainstorming topic because the students were encouraged to think abstractly about violence and suggest ideas that were perhaps not part of the normal thinking about violence. The students were given an example from an unrelated consulting project which demonstrated lateral thinking.
The facilitator shared an example with the students about a hotel in London that was first class and very well accepted by its customers except for the terribly slow elevators. There were many complaints about the elevators and few complaints about anything else. A study showed that the cost of replacing the elevators in the 100-year-old building would cost more that the value of the building and thus was not feasible. A consultant who practiced lateral thinking asked the owners what they wanted to be rid of: the slow elevators or the complaints. Hearing that the complaints were the real problem, the consultant recommended installing mirrors in every elevator lobby. Complaints dropped to zero because patrons began using the mirrors for whatever purpose they deemed appropriate and stopped noticing how long they were waiting for the elevators.
1. teach character in school, and not a two minute thing every day,
2. all people at the school must be treated with respect
3. demonstrate, not just teach
4. have a prisoner that was charged on violence come in to schools and talk to the kids about what he did wrong
5. teach values and what is right and wrong
6. We are not a hotel. Solving violent outbreaks is not enough. We need to solve the cause of violence.
7. the hotel did not solve the elevator problem...they solved the complaint problem.....we don't need to solve the violence problem...we need to solve the cause of the violence
8. but teachers should practice what they preach
9. teachers need to make the effort to recognize every student in his/her class
10. Say 'hi' to lots of people every day
11. teacher has to start. Someone has to act the adult
12. get the community involved by forming a committee based on dealing with school violence
13. approach violence as a mere "character flaw" and deal with it rather than alienate it
14. promote friendship among different racial groups
15. Students should be allowed to perform at the level of their ability. Gifted and LD classes are helpful to students.
16. find out the mental problems a violent person has- learn the psychological characteristics of a violent person
17. be pleasant with everyone
18. learn how to manage conflict
19. show that you will be punished; that has a way of breaking the habit
20. make school a happy place
21. administrators have to treat students and parents with respect
22. teach respect at school
23. Try to erase the concept of violence as a means of dealing with unpleasant situations. That is a concept that permeates our reality. If someone makes you mad --BIFF!- you sock them. That is dumb.
24. teach self-control
25. when you have a complaint, don't say it except to the person who can do something about it
26. have teachers and administrators on the same level as kids so no one feels intimidated
27. students can't be afraid to report people who are seriously talking about killing or hurting other students
28. change the view of the school to something else then a prison
29. nobody talks down to anybody
30. set a good example by remaining calm during times of trouble
31. students can be taught when to intervene and when to report a problem
32. We need to bring the level of tolerance for different ideas up, to reduce alienation. People should not discriminate, even on a personal level, against other philosophies.
33. I think some people here maybe placing too strong and heavy a burden on the teachers...teachers can have "problems" too
34. teachers should give all students the respect that they deserve just because they're human
35. we respect nature and it's not human...there needs to be a greater cause for respect than the simple fact that someone is human
36. walk away from provocation
37. award people for good character and lending a helping hand with more than just a pat on the back
38. promote the idea that money or material wealth does not make someone happy - encourage strong bonds between people
39. teachers should teach that everyone is equal
40. don't encourage competition in the school
41. make sure you're not carrying a chip on your own shoulder
42. don't talk bad about others
43. be careful what you say - it might offend someone's beliefs
44. Teachers are not super heroes. They can't be expected to deal with everything perfectly. Part of the burden lays with the students. If we make teaching too hard a job, we will have no teachers left. The make like no money already.
45. until every one is treated equally, and I mean equally allowed to live up to their own potential, then all the teaching in the world won't help
46. ask a person who is violent if they really like being a violent person. they may not know how to stop being violent
47. teachers should look at their students as if they are their kids. they should help kids
48. family values MUST be taught early in life to set what is right and wrong
49. make the job of teaching fun so that the teacher is in a good mood so the teacher doesn't get mad at a kid jus because he/she is in a bad mood
50. competition is a powerful force, use it too encourage good, it can be used positively
51. don't suppress your violent feelings, but don't act on them. Talk to someone.
52. You shouldn't need to 'be careful what you say' in the average sense of the word. Certainly be considerate, but someone should not need to censor themselves because other people are so easily offended. That's where we get dumb phrases like 'vertically challenged'.
53. getting to really know a violent person might answer the question of why they are violent.
54. Academics at school must come before sports - an athletic person is always given fame while people who are good at academics only are viewed as nerds. This is not right.
55. freedom of speech is essential, but avoid ethnocentrism
56. give a violent person everything they want- they just might be happy and not be violent
57. we don't need to avoid contact to avoid violence!.....!!
58. only put students with like minds in class together
59. Force students to practice peace inducing states like Zen and Yoga.
60. TV has to be limited in some respects - by the time someone is 18, they've probably seen thousands of shootings or fights on television
61. make sure the teacher is good enough to keep the violent person's mind off the violence
62. part of each week's curriculum would be a class in relationships
63. institute programs that get people involved in extra curricular activities, then they will feel a part of something
64. no one should be forced to practice Zen or Yoga if they don't want to!!!!
65. smart bullets decide when it is acceptable to enter and kill the target at which they were shot
66. In-school suspension would be one-on-one with a trained counselor
67. have cultural awareness workshops that students are required to go to
68. everybody home school
69. the first thing is to get rid of violence on
70. In school suspension should be like a forced labor camp. Make it really undesirable.
71. chips implanted in individuals physically punish someone who inflicts violence with a similar level of pain
72. start society all over again
73. we've got to control anger because angry people don't learn
74. give the whole class something to work against like a class project or program to stop violence so they all have a common goal to work together against, not work against each other
75. people need to learn world history at an early age and be able to understand it - maybe people would learn from violence in the past and keep away from it
76. give everybody a gun-- we're equal
77. kill anyone who can't stop being violent
78. violence? redefine the word
79. violence is defined as doing some sort of act of violence on anyone besides yourself
80. deport violent people to the ocean or the jungle where violent animals can do acts of violence upon them
81. deport violent people to the ocean or jungle so that violent animals of nature can incur acts of violence upon them
82. make school a privilege, not a right
83. make all of the penalties death
84. Allow students to learn independently, away from school. Or make school optional. No school means no school violence.
85. allow weapons. people wouldn't conceal them then
86. rape offenders should have their hormones drained
87. every person has to be committed to building relationships
88. kill according to personal belief
89. go back to using stocks and public thrashings
90. make everyone under go psycho-analysis
91. Manufacture only guns that fire bullets both ways. You get shot if you shoot someone.
92. the punishment should fit the crime; if a person beats another person to death then they should die the same way
93. hangings on the courthouse lawns
94. make people think they were born 90 years old - they would then think that they would be to feeble to murder
95. upon hitting someone...your hand should become equally bruised
96. show the students pictures of disemboweled and decapitated people so they think otherwise about violence
97. turn people into whom they hate
98. cut off everyone's fingers
99. give a cookie for good behavior
100. have a dance every week and make everyone attend and dance
101. Brain-o-meters that sense when someone is becoming angry to the point of violence, and then beep really loud. Then that person could be isolated.
102. give everyone a date
103. school would be video conferencing on the internet
104. computerized "shrinks" implanted in people's heads...kind of' places a new irony with the term shrink
105. change schools so that each school is for one thing.... like catholic or Zen
106. make them read "Harrison Bergeron"
107. have a nuclear bomb in the school and threaten the students by telling them that you would set it off if they were violent
108. everyone, including teachers, have to say 'yes, sir' and 'no, ma'am' or just 'yes' and 'no if you can't tell
109. make unified religion to teach everyone the same values
110. it's by Kurt Vonnegut
111. schools stop trying to make everyone homogeneous
112. assimilate everyone into the Borg Collective
113. Reduce religious emphasis. Values should be taught as right or wrong, not away to avoid 'hell'. Religion should be just a personal choice in addition to values.
