Safe School Ambassadors

Book Review: Safe School Ambassadors

by Rick Phillips, John Linney, & Chris Pack

In Safe School Ambassadors, the authors present a student-centred, inside-out approach to positive school climate which they argue is “complementary” to the tradition outside-in approach that is adult driven and focused on security. (xvi)

The book is divided into 3 sections:

·         Part 1 reviews the shortcomings of the outside-in approach to school climate:

·         Part 2 explores the inside-out approach; and,

·         Part 3 describes the various ways of empowering students to create a positive school climate and introduces the Safe Schools Ambassadors program.

Section 1 begins with a sobering analysis of the depth and breathe of mistreatment in many schools.  While adults tend to focus on policies that combat visible forms of mistreatment (ie. assaults, gang activity, and extreme bullying), such overt types of harmful behavior “are just the tip of the iceberg.” (11)  From the perspective of students, more covert forms of mistreatment go unnoticed and/or unsanctioned: exclusion, put-downs, teasing/taunting, gossiping, and cyberbullying.

In Chapter 2, the authors discuss the harmful impact of mistreatment on several groups: targets, aggressors, bystanders, and school staff. (25)  Maslow’s research shows that ”… targeted students are less likely to meet their self-actualization needs or achieve their potential”, and Daniel Goleman concludes that “Continual emotional distress can create deficits in a child’s intellectual abilities, crippling the capacity to learn.” (29)   Likewise, research points to the negative social and academic consequences for aggressors when their maltreatment of others goes unchecked: “Aggressors are more likely to drop out of school, use drugs and abuse alcohol, and engage in delinquent and criminal behavior.” (32)  Bystanders also “pay a significant personal price” as they become desensitized to cruel behavior, develop a sense of helplessness, feel more anxious, and are plagued by guilt. (33)  Finally, the morale and effectiveness of school staff can be eroded by ongoing student misconduct.

The authors also note that mistreatment of students can seriously harm the entire school culture.  It can result in students being constantly on edge or “hypervigilant” (39), an increase in student absenteeism, a loss of student privileges and extra-curricular activities, and an overall drop in student achievement.

The strengths and limitations of several common outside-in strategies for keeping schools safe are outlined in Chapter 3, the last section of Part I.  

Strategy	Strength	Limitation
Disaster Response Plans	Increases awareness of and communication/ cooperation during school crisis	Can distract school leaders from addressing less visible forms of peer mistreatment
Security equipment  ie, metal detectors & video surveillance	Decreases potential violence from outside	Sends a message to students that they aren’t trusted or responsible; Research suggests it may actually increase disorder
Policies & Rules	Create clarity of behavioural expectations	Rules don’t address or change the attitudes that underlie mistreatment
Tip lines & boxes	Students are privy to information that can help prevent or identify harmful behaviour	Students don’t trust that these systems preserve their anonymity; many students subscribe to a code of silence (70)
Classroom curricula	Can provide direct instruction in social skills, awareness of forms of mistreatment	Some research suggests it’s counterproductive for teachers to instruct students (especially boys) in how to behave
Assemblies & Special events	Can increase awareness of forms of mistreatment and its impact; can be motivational	Without proper follow-up, one-time events have little lasting impact
Youth involvement programs	Peer programs and conflict resolution programs can help students learn negotiation & other life skills	Only effective if there are high levels of expertise & commitment

The 3 elements of the inside-out approach are introduced at the beginning of Part II:

• Relationships – focusing on building positive connections between and among students and staff
• Student-centred solutions – involving students in decision making and in preventing and solving problems
• Norms – acknowledging that student social norms, not adult rules, govern student behavior

The first step towards building positive relationships in a school is to determine each of the different cliques operating on campus and the leaders of each of these groups.  A key point is that students should be involved in the identification of these groups and their leaders.  The next step is to organize a number of relationship-building activities and events that deliberately bring together leaders from each of the student groups.  This “familiarity by participation” (87) will naturally result in less conflict and more understanding between hitherto unaffiliated and even antagonistic groups. 

Student-centred solutions are particularly important in high schools as “adults have limited influence over students in matters of behavior, especially after elementary school.” (90)  Ways in which students can participate in decision making related to school safety include “… sitting on a climate committee or helping to shape school discipline policies and practices.” (90)

 

The inside-out approach to safety in schools focuses on the power of norms to influence student behavior.  The important consideration to keep in mind here is that “Young people don’t determine the norms for just what they wear or how they look.  They also determine the norms for how students treat one another.” (92)  Three negative norms that, unfortunately, often operate in schools are it’s cool to be cruel, the code of silence (refraining from reporting on maltreatment), and bystander mentality. (93-94)

In Chapter 5, the authors outline 10 Keys to Safer Schools:

      1. Establish school-community partnerships;
      2. Start a school climate team – which addresses gaps in climate assessments; 
      3. Set clear behavioral standards and policies;
      4 .Improve the physical environment; 
      5. Empower students as agents of social change;

6.  Implement diversity activities;
7. Create opportunities for the least engaged youth;
8. Support social skills curricula and instruction – and don’t isolate “the teaching of social skills in one classroom or department” (116);
9. Conduct teacher/staff training – while acknowledging what staff are already doing well (117); and,
10. Encourage parent involvement.

Chapter 6, the first section of Part III, introduces the Youth Development Formula (3P + 3E = 3C) for empowering students to help create a positive school climate.  The 3 Ps refer to giving students clear purpose, real power in school decisions, and a sense that they are part of an accepting place of belonging.  The 3 Es involve engaging all students (including those who are most alienated) in school life, equipping students with training and supports, and empowering students by making them part of decision-making processes.   When the 3Ps and 3Es are combined, the 3Cs are the result – capable, connected, and contributing students.

In this chapter, the authors also give 4 practical reasons for involving students in the solutions to mistreatment.  Students have the power of numbers, the power of knowledge - they know more than the adults in the school, the power of relationships, and, the power of norms.

     Lastly, the chapter lists 7 elements of an effective youth empowerment program:

• Identifying an effective program coordinator;
• Gaining school administration and staff buy-in;
• Engaging staff and students (including “non-traditional” and “disenfranchised” students) (146);
• Training students and staff effectively;
• Providing ongoing support and supervision;
• Collecting data to measure program effectiveness; and,
• Acknowledging and celebrating the efforts of participants.

The role of bystanders is explored in Chapter 7.  The authors begin by discussing the negative impact of bystanders.  For one thing, they give aggressors an audience.  As well, their mere presence is a tacit consent for the aggressor to continue the maltreatment.  Through the encouragement they provide aggressors, bystanders sometimes even become accomplices.  Overall, bystanders propagate the norm that “It’s cool to be cruel.” (154)  

The authors also provide several reasons why students choose to be bystanders to mistreatment rather than get involved and help:

• They fear retaliation;
• They lack the capacity to intervene;
• They fear they will worsen the situation;
• They are worried about being labeled a snitch; and,
• They doubt that telling adults will effect change.

Two more sophisticated rationales are also offered for bystanderism:

• Social proof – Students follow the passive response of other students around them;
• Diffusion of responsibility – No student takes action because each student believes another has already done so.

The key to mobilizing bystanders to positive action is norm-changing student leaders.  Such students must possess 3 characteristics:

·         They must be “opinion leaders of their particular social group or clique.” (166);

·         They must have captivating personalities and good social skills; and,

·         They must possess a strong sense of justice and concern for others.

The potential for norm-changing student leaders to transform bystanders to peacemakers is the impetus for the authors’ Safe Schools Ambassadors program.  They caution that schools should seek information from students, not just staff, in order to identify influential candidates for student ambassadors.  The ambassadors should be “…a diverse group of students based on ethnicity, interest, and clique.” (178)  In recruiting students as ambassadors, program advisors should appeal to the students’ self-interest as well as their sense of ethics.  For instance, it can be explained to them that by participating as safe schools ambassadors, they will be able to address some of their own and their friends’ concerns.  From the onset, students should understand that, as ambassadors, they will be incognito.  “This increases their influence and effectiveness because students they intervene with see the ambassadors as motivated by genuine concern rather than by some official position.” (180)

Training for student ambassadors should focus on:

• Increasing their understanding of the problem and costs of mistreatment;
• Inspiring their motivation to intervene; and,
• “Increasing their understanding of how they will be supported and supervised” in their role. (181)

The student ambassador’s “job description” consists of 4 parts: Notice the various types of mistreatment around them, think about whether it’s safe to intervene and how to intervene effectively, act, and afterwards, follow through.

Student ambassadors should begin their roles with their inner circle of friends and gradually widen their circle of influence only after “…they have the skills to effectively and safely extend their influence.” (186) 

The 5 intervention strategies that student ambassadors should be trained to use are as follows:

·         Distracting – “changing the subject or focus of the interaction, often with humor or a   simple request or comment” (190-191);

·         Balancing – offering a comment that brings balance to a put-down;

·         Supporting – showing sympathy and understanding for the victim;

·         Reasoning – especially convincing aggressors that other options to mistreatment   exist and “…that their actions might not be worth the consequences” (197); and,

·         Getting help.

The family group is recommended as the best mechanism for supporting student ambassadors.  It should consist of 6 to 9 student ambassadors and 1 or 2 adult facilitators.  Family groups should meet regularly during the school day.