The 2018-19 school year has seen an unprecedented amount of shelter in place drills at IHS due to acts of violence. Seemingly, fights have both increased in number and intensified in severity this year. The immediate response from the school administration has been to address these fights on a case-by-case basis, while maintaining the safety of the school community and the privacy of those involved in fights through limiting mobility around the school as fights are being addressed. While this approach has been effective in restoring order and preventing the spread of student-taken recordings of fights, it fails to address the fundamental errors that cause youth aggression and violence, both inside and outside of the school environment.
The fact of the matter is, there is not one reason why youth develop violent tendencies. Rather, these tendencies develop through a series of interrelated psychological and behavioral factors, as well as through the relationships, communities and societal influences that an individual has in their youth. These behavioral factors often appear in combination with or as a result of influences from interpersonal relationships in one’s life, including with family, friends, peers, and even educators. Children model their behavior based on the social interactions that they have regularly, and when peers and figures of authority display violent or aggressive behavior, in many cases, so too do children. The absence of family and social support also affect youth’s emotional functioning and behavior— Temple University Criminologist Joan McCord found in her study of underage crime that youth who engaged in violent confrontations were far less likely than non-offenders to have experienced adequate parental affection.
Because social interactions have a large influence on children’s behavior, social integration within formative communities, particularly schools, is another major trigger of violent tendencies in adolescents. Oftentimes, violent tendencies can be narrowed down to youths and adolescents being unheard and unseen by their community and society. When children and their ideas become invisible to the rest of the community they’re supposed to be a part of, they behave in ways to become visible.
Early intervention in the form of social work and academic support is one of the most effective ways in which the district could go about to lessen effects of youth violence. Most of the time, children that exhibit problematic behavior in early childhood only escalate to more severe aggression during adolescence. That’s why providing social and academic intervention in the early years of education is a necessary step to curbing youth violence amongst adolescents. While ICSD administration prides itself on its individualized attention for students with emotional support needs, their actions in recent years have not reflected this—the 2014- 15 ICSD budget slashed funding for necessary teacher aides, a decision that hit most hard in elementary schools. In the years since, this funding has not increased to its previous level, and the district as a whole appears to be stepping backwards in addressing this problem given that fewer resources are available now than in previous years.
Although district-wide moves have seemed contrary to the goal of reducing youth violence, school administrations within ICSD have taken commendable steps to provide students of all backgrounds and interests with opportunities to express themselves and to find a community. Extracurricular programming at IHS has increased significantly in recent years, with over 60 clubs and student groups, and although specific interest groups are less common in elementary schools, many inclusive after-school programs are available to students.
This level of programming does not exist at the middle schools within the ICSD, however, and individualized attention should be devoted at all levels towards ensuring that students are matched with clubs, student groups, and opportunities in which they can feel valued and heard. By strengthening an individual’s bond to school and their environment, raising their self-esteem, and improving their interaction, competency, and social skills, social development programmes have been cited in multiple studies as one of the most effective in decreasing involvement in violence behavior and other culprits later on in life.
However daunting a task it is, it’s also on every single student at IHS to take up a role in order to make the difference in youth violence. The next time you see a fight happening, don’t stand by, cheer on, record videos, or stereotype the people involved in the fight. Not only are these videos humiliating and hurtful for those involved, but they contribute to a school-wide culture that minimizes the serious systemic social problems that are are at the root of these issues. Rather, if you know an individual who feels isolated or is dealing with in their family, social, or academic setting, talk to them and contact adults who may be able to help.
The uptick in rates of youth violence across the country is a generational crisis. A problem of this magnitude must be tackled with compassion and urgency. While complex issues lie at its root, there are steps that school administrators, district officials, and individual students at IHS can take to lessen its impacts.