Community dodges bullet - for now

May 24, 2005

Spectrum/Paul Maguire

While on sabbatical in 2001 as an appointed Visiting Scholar in the College of Health at the University of Utah, I studied the "school shooting" literature and revised a monograph entitled "Celebrating Human Diversity: Health, Development and Learning." My studies included research with the Red Cliff First American Prevention Center in Bayside, Wis., a sister tribe to the Red Lake Reservation - the site of the recent school shootings.

The Red Cliff community demonstrates values needed to minimize the likelihood of school shootings, which extend way beyond the use of an "800" number. Palmer High School students and families have "dodged the bullet" - for now.

My studies at Utah lead me to believe that a comprehensive approach is most appropriate. If Alaska is serious about developing healthy families and youth and "dodging future bullets," the following needs to be in place:

€ State leadership: Master's and Ph.D.'s in Health and Physical Education, etc.

€ Require daily health and physical education taught by certified health and physical educators. Train all teachers in health and wellness concepts.

€ Local Leadership: Development of school-based Comprehensive School Health Education (CSHE) teams consisting of students, parents, businesses, churches, etc. The team assesses local community needs and interests, prioritizes them, and creates a plan that connects actions with core values. Over time, the CSHE team recruits teachers and administrators who have demonstrated participation in healthy community activities and school core values.

€ Encourage and honor the expression of the spiritual dimension of our youth while honoring the spirit and intent of the Constitution's "church and state" separation, meaning teachers invite student expression, but don't promote religiosity (deity, dogma, belief systems).

€ Require parent education and training for all parents, including strategies for teaching and providing positive behavioral supports, building healthy relationships, effectively communicating, family living skills, etc.

€ Decrease the reliance on law enforcement and enhance the application of core values through positive opportunities for families to engage with each other and the school district with good reciprocity (decision making) and fun (movie nights, pot luck meals, etc.)

€ Consequences of inappropriate behavior of any kind for students include parents or primary caregiver and has an educational component (i.e. how to positively manage behavior). Student and parents must demonstrate competence with the educational component before consequence is "lifted." This is from the Red Cliff First American Prevention Model.

€ Connectivity between school and home is enhanced through reciprocal and active

communication and involvement. Home visits by teachers, "800" numbers, daily or weekly e-mail or phone calls, network building and partnership development in community, etc.

€ Smaller schools focused on relationship-building among students and adults.

A key to minimizing the likelihood repeat of Bethel, Red Lake, Littleton, etc., is the reconnection of our youth to their own spiritual dimension, to each other, and to trusted adults in their communities. If we are to celebrate human diversity and create healthy schools and communities we need to be fully inclusive and families need to commit to being healthy.

Although core values are set at a young age and it may be perceived to be impossible to reach some parents, we need to rely on best practices and research to develop effective action plans at the school building level. For example, a few recent studies suggest that "engaged" parents who are active in the schooling of their kids may be the best recruiters of "elusive parents" - the parents of kids who may need the most support.

The behavior changes needed by families and youth may be intergenerational in nature, but worth starting today.

Oh, and by the way, if you that "required" approaches are unrealistic and don't lead to behavioral change, or that you're too busy to embrace the values and apply these ideas above, go visit the row of crosses on a hill in Littleton, Colorado.

Paul Maguire is a Palmer

resident.