New York
's HIV experiment ** Vulnerable children in some of
American
War Crimes - Washington Post editorial Dec 23/04
Thanks to a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union and
other human rights groups, thousands of pages of government documents released
this month have confirmed some of the painful truths about the abuse of
foreign detainees by the U.S. military and the CIA - truths the Bush
administration implacably has refused to acknowledge. http://www.peace.ca/americanwarcrimes.htm
Breaking the Silence: Overcoming the Problem of Principal Mistreatment of Teachers by Joseph Blase and Jo Blase (Professors of Educational Leadership, U. of Georgia). Recognize destructive behavior and cultivate constructive support! The detrimental effect of abusive principal behavior not only deteriorates teacher morale and performance, but also erodes school effectiveness, student learning, and quality of life for everyone involved. Unfortunately, this type of mistreatment—with its devastating implications—has largely been ignored and treated as a taboo subject. In this groundbreaking book, Blase and Blase begin the critical dialogue about abuse by exposing the various manifestations of mistreatment, and offering practical solutions for its prevention and correction. The invaluable information presented is based on findings from the first-of-its-kind study conducted by the authors, in which they interviewed elementary, middle/junior high, and high school teachers from rural, suburban, and urban areas across the United States and Canada. The text masterfully provides the tools necessary to identify destructive behavior and raises awareness of this common phenomenon in order to break the cycle of abuse. It is the crucial first step toward preventing further mistreatment and fostering teacher development, student achievement, and school improvement. Key features include: Real-life examples and testimonials; Specific forms and indicators of mistreatment, categorized into three levels; Detailed description of the effects on schools and teachers, professionally and personally; Solutions for overcoming this problem, including six survival skills, "Bullyproofing," "Bullybusting," and other individual, organizational, and legal resolutions. For more information: http://www.corwinpress.com/printerfriendly.aspx?pid=9006&ptype=B ; ISBN: 0761977724
Locked up in
land of the free - This is a very worrisome piece revealing our
government's preoccupation with
punishment and incarceration. "Punimania", meaning the compulsion to
punish when the punishment does not address or correct the source of the problem,
causes suffering to innocent people over time and space, even to the punishers.
Given the climate of suppressing civil liberties, the momentum to build still
more prisons is a matter of great concern. http://www.sunspot.net/news/printedition/bal-te.journal01jun01.story
Letter to the Southam News
Editor-in-Chief - in response
to December 20, 2001 national editorial "Sometimes, war is the only
answer"
How CanWest is threatening press
freedom - Journalists have a duty to be
faithful to the interests of their readers. Our responsibility is to seek the
truth and encourage freewheeling debate on a full range of issues and present
stories and ideas in as dynamic a way as possible. Blatant pressures applied to
editors by CanWest have damaged this process at major newspapers across Canada.
POLL SHOWS HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS LACK BASIC CIVICS
KNOWLEDGE. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
national test of government and civics education showed that just 26 percent of
U.S. 12th graders scored well enough to demonstrate a good understanding about
how our government works. For more information, see
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pubs/main1998/2000457.shtml
PEACE GROUPS MONITORED BY RCMP SECRET POLICE: FIGHT BACK WITH THEIR SECRET INFORMATION
Why
Would the FBI Aid Klansmen?
Boys and a culture of cruelty: Can we stop the cycle By Barbara Meltz
My Son Died 30 Years Ago At Kent by
Elaine Holstein
UN
Committee against Torture must condemn increasing institutionalized cruelty in
USA by Amnesty International
1. Brutal Body Contact: This comprises acts of assault performed in accordance with the official rules of a sport: "Tackles, blocks, body checks, collisions, legal blows of all kinds" are included. The game as officially defined cannot be played without it.
2. Borderline Violence: This comprises assaults that are prohibited by the formal rules of a sport, but occur routinely. They are more or less accepted by officials, players and fans. They include the hockey fistfights, late hitting in football, high tackling in soccer, the baseball brushback pitch, etc. Referees sometimes penalize this kind of violence, but the penalties are not usually severe enough to deter. In theory, criminal statutes also apply; in practice, athletes are not prosecuted. So the violence often escalates.
3. Quasi-Criminal Violence: This frequently leads to serious injury and is usually brought to the attention of top officials. Penalties can range from suspensions to lifetime bans. Civil and criminal suits are becoming more common, but convictions are infrequent. For example, a severe punch in the head thrown in a basketball game, eventually settled out of court.
4. Criminal Violence: This takes place before or after a game among fans. An example is the June 16, 1990 killing of eight people as part of the "celebration" in Detroit after the Pistons won the NBA Championship. 124 people were treated in hospital.
SPORTS: WHEN WINNING IS THE ONLY THING, CAN VIOLENCE BE FAR AWAY?
Environmental Scan
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Youth and Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/youthviolence/report.html . The designation of youth violence as a public health issue complements the more traditional status of the problem as a criminal justice concern.AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Youth and Violence: A
Report to the Nation
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/3536.html .
The Commission for the Prevention of Youth Violence, a coalition of 10 health
care groups, developed 7 priorities and 44 recommendations in a call for action
to prevent youth violence in our schools and communities. You can download the
executive summary or the full report.
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION Best Practices of Youth
Violence Prevention: A Sourcebook for Community Action http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/bestpractices.htm#Download .
The CDC has released a community-oriented sourcebook that describes
strategies for implementing proven or promising interventions to prevent youth
violence. (Adobe Acrobat required to view or print this document.)
JOURNAL OF COUNSELING AND DEVELOPMENT Examining the Social Context of
Bullying Behaviors in Early Adolescence http://www.counseling.org/members/journals/jcd_summer00.pdf .
In this study parental physical discipline, time spent without adult
supervision, negative peer influences, and neighborhood safety concerns were
each positively associated with bullying behavior. (Adobe Reader is needed.
Scroll down to page 326.)
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS Adolescent Assault Victim Needs: A Review of Issues and a Model Protocol http://www.aap.org/policy/00991.html . The urgent care of the adolescent assault victim must not be limited to the treatment of physical injuries. Attention to the injured adolescent's emotional needs and the assurance of individualized follow-up are also necessary.
AMERICAN FAMILY PHYSICIAN Preventing Street Gang Violence http://www.aafp.org/afp/990415ap/medicine.html This article examines epidemiology, historic perspective, characteristics of gangs, and prevention strategies.
ARCHIVES OF PEDIATRICS AND ADOLESCENT MEDICINE Factors
Preventing Gun Acquisition and Carrying Among Incarcerated Adolescent Males http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/issues/current/rfull/poa00218.html .
These researchers identified 6 factors that limited gun acquisition and
carrying among a sample of incarcerated male adolescents.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to
Safe Schools http://www.athealth.com/consumer/issues/early_warning.html .
This guide, developed by the Department of Education and the Department of
Justice, includes sections on characteristics of a safe school, identifying
early warning signs of aggression and violence, intervention for troubled
children, and development of a prevention and crisis response plan.
Anger and Aggression http://www.athealth.com/Practitioner/Newsletter/FPN_4_22.html
"A Majority of Parents Think a School Shooting Could Occur in Their Community," The Gallup Organization, <http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr010306.asp>. Recent shootings at Santana High School in Santee, California, and Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California, both near San Diego, have again raised the issue of school violence. In an April 2000 Gallup poll, 66% of American adults and 63% of parents of school-aged children said they thought it was at least somewhat likely that shootings could happen at schools in their community. A majority of those surveyed - 61% -- favored stricter gun control, and 69% said they favored legislation holding parents legally responsible for crimes children commit crimes with their parents' guns.- "we have a very healthy economy (healthier, perhaps, than any in history) but we have a very sick society" (Peter Drucker) and sick societies are ripe for social collapse (= crisis)
- "on the one hand, we have movers and shakers and those involved in the community
- on the other hand, we observe a good deal of inertia, complacency, self-satisfaction, and unwillingness to change
- one thing clear: when it comes to future-capability, we must not have performers on one side and spectators on the other
- society must move as a whole: all members are called upon to do their bit and must be included in the creative effort
- educational sector must be reengineered to dramatically changing environment
- community-based solidarity no longer functions if it is not built on the morals of personal responsibility (vs. the welfare state)
- emergence of the importance and power of the social sector will prove most determinative" (Rita Sussmuth)
- "the social sector will most affect the communities of the future, and that therefore is most in need of our attention right now." (Bob Buford)
Forecasting the Future
"the social sector will most affect the communities of the future, and that therefore is most in need of our attention right now
- the emergence of the 'Next Church' redefining the nature and role of community itself by excelling at five basic practices: an emphasis on leadership and leadership development, peer learning networks, cultural relevance, an emphasis on meeting individual needs within the context of a community, and mobilization of the laity." (Bob Buford)
- "the global community has the potential to become a nightmare: a world of conformity, a world of short-term stimulation, a world of isolation. The global community also has the potential to be a dream come true: a world of diversity, a world building long-term value, a world reaching out to humanity.
- many communities of the future will have a totally different character - they will be communities of choice. In a community of choice the members will be able to leave on short notice with very little personal cost. They will be community members because they want to be, not because they have to be. In a community of choice the balance of power is quite differenct. The community must prove its worth to members as much as, or more than, the members must prove their worth to the community.
- there will be an emergance of 'Volunteer service communities'. The typical person today is suffering from extreme 'overchoice' in opportunities to provide volunteer services and is highly selective in terms of where time, money, and effort should be expended.
- key qualities of leaders in a Community of Choice include: communicating a shared vision, achieving clear results, changing leadership style, ensuring that members feel valued, creating a personally enriching experience." (Marshall Goldsmith)
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