Some children can be quick to employ violence and slurs.
Fights and racial and ethnic conflicts are familiar occurrences in many of the nation's schools. But these responses do not get to the heart of the long-term resolution of conflict. A better approach is to teach children how to prevent and resolve conflicts peacefully among themselves and to educate school personnel in the value of this strategy. Where they are applied, the skills and theories of conflict resolution are helping to reduce violence and improve personal and intergroup relations in schools. That is why the Western Justice Center is sponsoring the School Conflict Resolution Resource Center.