School violence is a complex phenomenon and calls for a multi-dimensional policy framework supported at all local, national, and international levels. On a regional level, schools implement strategies for prevention, intervention, and responding to the community’s needs. These initiatives usually include working with police officers, mental health experts, and other community organizations to provide a safe environment that will tackle the underlying problems of violence.
At the state level, legislation is enacted to increase school safety, designate funds for violence prevention programs, and implement crisis management procedures. The type of policies implemented in each state can differ significantly based on the state’s political landscape, cultural context, and available resources. States also fund school educators to offer them training and evaluation of the current evidence-based interventions to enhance school safety. At the national level, the Safe Schools Initiative and the STOP School Violence Act are a few federal financial aid programs for schools that rectify school safety through threat assessment training and coordination between schools and law enforcement agencies. Moreover, Federal agencies such as the Department of Education do studies on effective violence prevention strategies and spread the practices that work to schools all over the USA.
On the international level, dealing with school violence is a comprehensive framework connecting nation-states. Suppose country-wide governments are the primary players in carrying out the policies. In that case, organizations like the United Nations (UN) can help with forging cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and also resource allocation, which extends to different nations. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 16 (Peace et al.), provide a global agenda for addressing school violence concerns. International development financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, can indirectly determine the policies by providing financial assistance programs. Through an emphasis on educational and social development projects, such organizations contribute to a broader goal of eliminating the use of violence in schools. On the other hand, the opponents of these organizations argue that neoliberal policies are causing social inequalities that may play a role in rooting school violence.
Additionally, corporations, media, the military, and the education system also have considerable influence on the collective behavior of society toward violence. Public humanitarian corporations can work through corporate responsibility programs that fund education and youth development. The media can boost awareness about the instance, act as a medium to establish positive role models and encourage police officers to address school bullying adequately. The army can offer experience in conflict solutions and security, but involving the military in schools may lead to morality disputes.
Crafting Persuasive Arguments on School Violence
A persuasive argument concerning the root issue of school violence would require the integration of different societal values and concerns. Equity is one of the cornerstones stressing the fair, bias-free treatment of all learners, regardless of their background. In our society, marginalized communities, especially, experience school violence at higher rates. Then, the issue translates into a movement for social justice. Another dimension, protecting the educational environment, provides students unrestricted enjoyment of education, obtained without fear. Security is not limited to only physical but also psychological safety that provides a source of confidence for students to thrive academically without the repeated trauma due to violence.
Students and the staff’s welfare is at stake, observing the importance of enforcing violence prevention strategies. Efficiency also concerns resource resource resource allocation- which means investing in preventive actions, not reactive ones like counseling services, conflict resolution, and early interventions that can produce a long-term benefit, which is that society can be spared from the societal costs of violence (Mayer et al., 2021). Besides democracy, community participation from different stakeholders in policymaking processes toward determining measures to combat the underlying factors of school violence is crucial.
Using symbols and metaphors in arguments appealing to feelings can greatly help persuasion. A cancer that erodes the basis of education can be an example of school violence here. Appropriate employing of numbers and statistics helps make the audience recognize the problem’s significance or scale of the problem by presenting the total number of cases or the economic loss that communities experience. Causes of suicide, for example, systemic inequalities, mental health organizations, or firearms access, may be mentioned to recognize the complexity of the problem and the need for multifaceted measures.
Implementing Effective Strategies to Address School Violence
From an advanced generalist perspective, dealing with the issue of violence at schools necessitates a holistic prescription that encompasses various policy tools that can be painstakingly attention-grabbing. Firstly, inducements can be ideal as they can highly fulfill the purpose of rewarding positive actions while simultaneously dissuading people from violence. By rolling out a reward system that appreciates students whenever they display empathy, conflict resolution skills, and respectful interactions among themselves, we are bound to see a more conducive school climate (Sprague & Walker, 2021). Furthermore, facilitating counseling services, mentorship programs, and recreational activities can be directed to the student group as an alternative way of expression, which may supplement regular sports competitions and deflate the odds of violence.
According to Katic et al. (2020), imparting a clear and unified set of rules is necessary for building a well-structured, well-structured, disciplined school forum. Elaborating zero-tolerance policies es, especially violence, bullying, and harassment, signals a clear message that such behaviors will not be condoned. Besides that, the execution of vital justice frameworks further contributes towards the bond of accountability and reconciliation among conflicting parties, hence the emergence of a culture of tolerance and understanding. It is important to inform the students about the aftermath of violence and why they should acquaint themselves with interpersonal conflict resolution skills to try and shape their attitudes and behaviors. Social-emotional learning (SEL) programs become essential for the school curriculum as students will develop the ability to control their emotions and communicate better due to understanding and settling conflicts without violence. Furthermore, instilling consciousness by conducting workshops, assemblies, and parental education programs would engage the whole school community in tackling the core causes of violence and promoting a culture of understanding and respect.
There is a need to be mindful of all rights in the school community. This must be instilled in all the scholars. Designing inclusive policies that reach out to people of all kinds, encourage equality, and shield the vulnerable against discrimination and the type of violence that stems from bigotry and hatred can effectively promote an all-accepting environment and thus reduce the risk of violence related to hatred and intolerance. A further must create forums and utilizes by which the circumstance and the delinquents of the order should be spotted with speedy and objective disciplining.
Partnerships and resources are vital for successfully executing the noble campaign against violence. Schools’ cooperation with law enforcement agencies, community organizations, mental health wellness professionals, and other stakeholders could increase the capacity of schools to resolve the more profound issues bringing about violence. Financing the development and implementation of evidence-based programs with procedures that fit well with the particular needs of the school community would be the ideal innovation to guarantee the overall effectiveness of such initiatives.
References
Katic, B., Alba, L. A., & Johnson, A. H. (2020). A systematic evaluation of restorative justice practices: School violence prevention and response. Journal of school violence, 19(4), 579-593.
Sprague, J. R., & Walker, H. M. (2021). Safe and healthy schools: Practical prevention strategies. Guilford Publications.
Mayer, M. J., Nickerson, A. B., & Jimerson, S. R. (2021). Preventing school violence and promoting safety: Contemporary scholarship advancing science, practice, and policy. School Psychology Review, 50(2-3), pp. 131–142.