Scholarly Article 2

Joseph Peterson

Take and Defend a Stand Blog Assignment

School Violence: Partnerships with Families For School Reform, by Tim Brubaker, Ellie Brubaker, Mary Link

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/mfr/4919087.0006.101?rgn=main;view=fulltext

                The general public has realized that violence in schools has become a national educational issue. The issue of school violence has led to certain schools developing and implementing violence prevention and reduction programs. Besides these programs, there are ways we can attempt to prevent this issue and make it less of a problem for our society and education system. One of the biggest indicators for school violence is the home situation of the student and the amount of parental involvement in their child’s school and education. Brubaker’s and Link’s article present evidence about the home life of a student and the student parental involvement in school can determine if a child will participate in school violence.

                When a student’s families are more involved in their education, the student is more likely to succeed in school but also they are less likely to be involved with violence within the school. With the school violence problem in our nation getting out of hand schools are attempting reorganize the academic structure of their school. With strong evidence supporting family educational support, schools are attempting to improve the academic focus but also include the students families within the educational structure. These anti-school  violence groups are attempting to partner with families of students in attempt to bring down school violence. The family structure is critical to school violence, if a child is going through a tough period at home or is around domestic violence the probability of the child participating in school violence gets higher. Schools have emphasized the importance in family values and involvement with education, because they have noticed the trend of violence and family. The article provides evidence that “suggest that there are similarities between students who do not engage in violence, including a "positive family environment," and parents with expectations and standards”(Brubaker, Brubaker, Link). Families “participation makes a statement about their belief regarding the importance of school and of nonviolent behavior” (Brubaker, Brubaker, Link).

                Examples of the correlation between family life and student violence and lack of success can be pointed out in schools throughout America. An example worth noting of this correlation, is the case of Jeffrey Dawson who is a 16-year-old sophomore at a small, rural high school. Dawson has been twice suspended for violent fights, where he displayed anger and aggression. School administrators looked into why Jeffrey a student with a past of good grades, would be acting in this manner. They found out that Jeffrey had problems at home which involved his father abusing him throughout his life and later walking out on his family and not paying the proper child support. After finding out this information the school wanted to have a meeting with Jeffrey mother to find ways so they can stop it from continuing. The meeting with families also provide a better understanding of the situation of Jeffrey and now have a better ways to address the situation in the classrooms.

                Evidence suggests that parental involvement with a student academic career will lead to the decrease in student violence and also lead to a better academic performance. Parents involved with a student academic life leads to improved student moral, more value placed on education and also gives teachers more insight into how to deal with particular students. All of these qualities also lead to a decrease in the national problem of school violence.

Scholarly Article 1

Scholarly Article

Website URL

http://dare2.ubvu.vu.nl/bitstream/handle/1871/18174/Baldry_Child%20Abuse%20%26%20Neglect_27(7)_2003_u.pdf?sequence=2

 

Bullying and Exposure to Domestic Violence

            Being exposed to parental domestic violence made children more susceptible to being bullied/ being a bully themselves. In a research study that was conducted by the Italian National Research Council, scientists concluded that being exposed to violence between parents is associated with bullying and victimization in school. Violence within the family has harmful effects on the child’s behavior.

            Bullying is something that has plagued most schools across the country, and in recent years it has become more prevalent. Many researchers believe that a child’s violent behavior in school stems from an exposure to violence within that child’s home. In the case of domestic violence, children that live in that environment are more likely to repeat that same act of violence on children in their school. “Children witnessing violence perpetuated by their partners were nearly three times as likely to be involved in physical aggression at school (fighting, bullying, or threatening others) compared to those who did not witness violence (28.1% vs. 11.3%) and over twice as likely to be involved in indirect aggression (nonphysical forms of aggression, such as rallying friends against someone, spreading gossip, excluding someone from a group, or setting up another child for punishment)” (“Bullying in schools and exposure to…”).  Children,

(especially girls) who witness their mothers being harassed, insulted, and beaten up by a male figure, might learn that violence is a normal way of being treated and  boys, on the other hand,

may idolize the (male)  person responsible for the violence and learn that violence is an okay way to respond to conflict and then become aggressive with classmates that are smaller than them . A dysfunctional family, mainly one where especially domestic violence is a part of everyday life, might encourage bullying in several ways. Parents might show very little care for their children and not consider their feelings. As a result of parental neglect, a child might develop a very low level of compassion towards others. Families that do not function properly might be hurt by the way power and aggression are shared between family members. Children start to learn to control other people and they might even be encouraged to do so by the dominant figure in their household. So, it is easy to say that domestic violence plays a big part in understanding how children function in tough circumstances and it helps explain how a child’s aggressive behavior is something that is learned at home. Being exposed to violence between parents can reduce a child’s ability of being confident or make a child accept being victimized at school. Domestic violence either teaches a child to harm others or learn how to be a victim, depending on the situation. Either way, the cycle of violence starts at home. If it is not dealt with properly, it will reflect in the way the child interacts with peers and the violence will continue at school.