Peer Mediation in Schools

I have become an enthusiastic volunteer at the paxUnited^® division of The National Mediation Center^®. This organization is producing peer mediator peacemakers in schools with amazing results.

On Jan. 13, 2009, the Southwest Conflict Resolution Network (CRN) held our monthly continuing education meeting at the SMU north Plano campus. We were treated to a wonderful presentation, "Helping Children Change the World with Mediation," by Susan Armoni, Ph.D. and Robert M. Gonzales, M.R.E.; M.Div... Dr. Armoni is the founder and Executive Director of paxUnited and Mr. Gonzales is the Deputy Director. Their web site is at paxUnited.org .

To begin the program, a promotional DVD was shown where children of middle school and high school age were interviewed about their activities as peer mediators. Some of them told how their training and work as mediators turned their lives around. The skills they learned not only helped transformed them into peacemakers in school; they also apply their skills at home with their parents and siblings.

The following Peers Making Peace© (PMP) Evaluation Results show four of the important measurable benefits resulting from school participation – in as short a time as one academic year:

· Expulsion Numbers Dropped by 73%.

· Assaults Decreased by 90.2%.

· Discipline Referrals Declined by 58%.

State Standardized Test Scores Rose by 18.9%.

PMP campuses report significant drops in discipline referrals, reduction of physical fights, and the creation of peaceful, caring school environments. Students say that mediation makes their schools a better place to be: they are safer; they are less afraid; they know there is a place to work things out before someone hurts them; and they can focus on learning.

Their non-profit organization operates only with grants and donations and both are suffering from the present economic situation. Considering the wonderful transformation that this and other similar organizations make on schools and on the lives of students, they deserve an all out community cry of support and the financial backing of everyone in a position to give. 

Our entire country has a gigantic need to sell all school districts on the tremendous benefit to them and to society that would result if they would get with the program.

We need to get educators and legislators to stop seeing such programs as expenses to be avoided or cut. They are among the best investments a community can make.