School is a place where people learn. School is a place where prejudice, bigotry, or sexism will not be tolerated. School is a place where each and every individual has value and worth. Four major approaches lead to a humane highway. Reduce cynicism .
Nothing breeds violence faster than cynical attitudes.
The opposite of cynicism is hope. When we are hopeful, there is less reason to hurt and more to lose by choosing hurtful behavior. Nonviolent schools are characterized by a strong sense of hope based on a belief that people matter, the future matters, and that individual choices have consequences that matter. Hopeful attitudes, like cynicism, are pervasive and have the greatest impact when everyone in the community shares them. Administrators can set a positive tone for their schools by modeling hopeful attitudes, implementing programs that target negative attitudes, and counseling cynical teachers.