I came across an article that got my attention. A school was having difficulty with outbreaks of hazing, violence, and sexual assault. To combat it, they put together a taskforce of teachers & administration, parents and students.
Making students a part of the process to make their environment safer gave them ownership and insight to the problem. Making students a part of the process compelled them to participate. They saw they could contribute and understood they added value to the system. The students and the rest of the taskforce were vigilant in correcting the problem. Now the school has policies and procedures in place to deal with outbreaks. The students are accountable for their actions and are required to participate in restorative justice.
You can read the article at:
http://www.reformer.com/ci_8136614?source=most_viewed
How do your kids use the word, "Slut"? Many pre-teens and teenagers will tell you the word is "No big deal because people use it for all different meanings." The reality is that the word "Slut" is very powerful. The #1 reason students tell me that females do not speak openly about sex or "Ask First" before engaging in intimacy with a partner is because many females are "AFRAID" of being called a "Slut." The word is soo powerful it stops females from speaking their mind openly and honestly. We must work diligently to decrease the use of this word among youth and adults (after all, we are the role models).