Fight-Free Schools: Creating a school culture that promotes achievement

(fomerly titled: School Violence...Calming The Storm A Guide to Creating a Fight-Free School)

Dr. Margaret R. Dolan

#7101 (8.5 x 11, 222 pgs) $29.95

ISBN 1-880463-14-8
978-1-880463-14-7

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While others debate Dr. Dolan strategizes. While others discuss Dr. Dolan implements. While others spread blame Dr. Dolan accepts responsibility. I don't believe in "Programs." If Peggy would have called me and said that she had a "Program" that could reduce violence I would have given her my blessings but I would not have given her my time. Fight Free is not a program but a process. A process of changing the way that the stakeholders in a school community help children to make healthy choices. This is real learning, not the abstract kind that is common to "Programs."

Real learning is holistic, engaging, and eternal. It introduces an individual to new knowledge. Helps the individual to apply that knowledge in meaningful, real-life applications. Helps the individual to internalize the knowledge acquired. And, helps the individual to evolve to higher levels of knowledge, in essence a higher consciousness.

More metal detectors, more police, video cameras, harsher discipline methods, zero tolerance policies, or as one insane lawmaker suggested, "Let's give teachers guns" will not guaranty the safety of our children. They are only reactionary measures needed because of a systemic institutionalized unwillingness to engage our children in meaningful, relevant, discussion, debate, and analysis of the meaningful life issues that they are confronted with each day in our schools and classrooms. Such approaches are not designed to increase consciousness but to control our children as we camouflage our failings. Peggy on the other hand just goes about the business of educating children, teaching them how to make healthy choices, and fostering an environment conducive to learning, growing, and having fun.

Dr. William T. Rebore of St. Louis University writes:

The reality of violence in our schools places in context the importance of Dr. Peggy Dolan's Fight-Free Schools. Her success, first at McNair Elementary School, and later at schools throughout the area, is built on the positive reinforcement of student behavior. Fight-Free Schools has been introduced in numerous elementary and middle schools with a minimum of cost and tremendous success. This success has attracted the attention of local, state, and national leaders as they work on legislation to stem the violence in our schools.

Principals and teachers in private, parochial, and public schools owe it to themselves to consider Dr. Dolan's Fight-Free Schools. It could very well be the first step toward creating a truly safe and secure environment for children of our communities, and just may reverse the tide of societal violence.