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Violence
School Violence
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 What
are the differences between conflicts and school violence?
• Two students are yelling at each other, is that violence?
What are they yelling? Are they yelling things like “Hey that
is my candy bar!” or something more like “You jerk,
I will kill you”? If they are yelling and shoving, is it violence?
Likely so. If students are making threats toward each other, or
forming in groups both arguing against each other is that violence?
The answers are not always as clear as it would seem. Every school
may make for themselves a unique distinction between conflict and
violence.
- Conflict is a natural part of social interaction. When it is
handled well or resolved—it can increase a students understanding
of himself or herself and become a basis for creative solutions
to problems. The only downside is: conflict often leads to violence.
- Sometimes school violence it seems inevitable. There are going
to be some types of altercations no matter what the rules are.
- Is this a "big city" problem? The answer is no. School
violence can happen in any school.
- So, when does conflict become violent? The answer, I believe,
is that school violence begins as soon as physical altercation
takes place. That is violence.
- There are many others who see non-physical acts such as acts
of violence, such as name-calling, threatening, harassing, or
stalking a fellow student.
- Most people will agree that if a student aims a gun at another
student that is definitely school violence—even if the gun
is not used. No matter what, that is such a threatening gesture
that we can safely say the student is being violent.
- Some people assert that verbal abuse in school is also school
violence. That psychological violence can do just as much harm.
Whatever the definition, many parents and teachers worry about
the negative effects of school violence, and want to come up with
a solution to it. Unfortunately, school violence will probably always
be an issue to some extent. The best way to combat school violence
is to monitor the students carefully—teach them about violence
at younger ages, and set stricter rules for them with more severe
consequences—if that is what it takes.
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