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Community Role Can Help Decrease School Violence

You don’t have to have a school aged child to be aware of the school violence that is present in so many schools today. Truth be told, you don’t have to have a child at all to be concerned with the increasing number of violent incidents that are happening in schools across the United States and around the world. It may be that your community has witnessed many such acts of school violence and many people that you know are frustrated with the continued numbers of children who are taking matters into their own hands and using violence as the perceived solution.
 
The reality is that today’s youth have a lot more stimulation when it comes to violence than we did years ago as children. Many video games, music videos and movies depict violent characters as heroes to be emulated and admired. While it is largely the responsibility of the parents to provide some structure in terms of what is acceptable for viewing and listening and what is not, the truth of the matter is that no child can be policed by a parent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
 
In the past, a community played an integral role in a child’s life just as a parent and teacher do. If you went to the corner store and tried to steal something, the store owner would give you the business and phone up your parents, who would also give you the business when you got home. If a neighbor spotting you into devilment, they weren’t afraid to get involved and put a quick halt to your actions and again, inform your parents for necessary punishment.
 
Today, the community can still play a vital role but because many people have chosen to turn a deaf ear and a blind eye for so long, things have gotten quite out of hand. A generation of parents has come to the surface of things; they defend their children as those who can do no wrong. A community that comes together and presents a united stand is more powerful than one or two parents who withstand school authorities.
 
In a community where resources like community centers and after school programs are available, children are given alternatives to finding trouble to get into after school. School curriculum that enforces the rules for all students, not just some, supports the community’s role in helping to decrease school violence for children of all ages. Remember that a community is composed of individuals who share common goals, interests and living areas, not just houses, stores, schools and churches. When people come together as a community collaborative with the objective of helping to decrease school violence, the safety in numbers is evident.