Encouraging efforts for safe schools, nonviolence in Ramsey County

In the midst of national anger, grief and heartbreak over the deaths of black men, the deaths of police officers, and some violent protests over the weekend, many rightly worry about the impact of all this mayhem on children and teens. Is the violence we see in schools a reflection of what youths witness in our wider society? How can adults help the young avoid becoming either victims or perpetrators of the kind of tragedies they watch unfold daily in the news?

Several local efforts hold promise in helping our young people learn the right lessons from these incidents so they can build better, less violent futures. They illustrate ways to help children deal with these trying times and embrace more peaceful alternatives to resolving conflict.

It was heartening, for example, to see younger kids taking a stand against violence during a children's march Sunday in St. Paul. Carrying placards that read, "Stop the Killing," "Children Need Peace" and "Am I Next?" about 200 elementary-age youngsters marched from Maxfield Elementary school to J.J. Hill Montessori School, where beloved lunchroom supervisor Philando Castile had worked before being shot and killed by a police officer in Falcon Heights last week.

In another promising effort to reduce conflict, a half dozen St. Paul schools will soon begin pilot programs in restorative practices as the result of a new teachers contract that sought to address, among other things, student-on-staff violence. Six schools — American Indian Magnet, Farnsworth Aerospace Upper Campus, Johnson High School, Maxfield Elementary, Murray Middle School and Riverview West Side School of Excellence — will begin the programs this fall.

Restorative practices include additional training for teachers and staff members to help students cultivate self-control and mindfulness. The efforts can involve peer mentoring and mediation. Some districts that have used such techniques around the country have reported reductions in suspensions and other discipline.

Meanwhile, in Ramsey County, the Community Task Force on Safe Schools recently held the first in a series of meetings. County Attorney John Choi's office convened the diverse group of nearly 40 parents, students, teachers, school resource officers, youth workers and others to better understand the roots of violent behavior in schools and recommend community-based solutions.

Choi points out that behavior problems are not confined to St. Paul. Student-on-staff violence — measured by fourth-degree assault cases — doubled between 2014 and 2015. Thirteen of the 28 incidents last year occurred in the suburbs, he said.