Customer Reviews

Safe School Ambassadors: Harnessing Student Power to Stop Bullying and Violence

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I'm so grateful to the authors of this book. I've been working with families and youth for almost 15 years and I think this book reflects a clear understanding of the reality in schools across the country, and presents, in a sensitive and intelligent way, a very clear and effective way to create safer schools where our kids can get inspired, empowered, and ready to face an increasingly challenging world. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Every school administrator should take the time to read this valuable, well-researched guide to the problem and solutions to the issue of mistreatment in schools. The authors have made a strong case for student empowerment, and have given school personnel the practical tools to make their schools safer and more welcoming for everyone.

The most important aspect of this book is that the strategies suggested PREVENT mistreatment, thus changing the norms. As a facilitator of adults ordered by court to take anger management classes, I would like to see more of this taking place. That way we are up stream solving the problem rather than downstream picking up the bodies. I have shared much of the information in the book in parenting classes I led. Students found the information extremely useful. To my knowledge several of them did go back to their children's schools and obtained information on how the school was addressing bullying. It's the ripple effect. Take the time to read the book and then make a difference in your community. I'd love to work myself out of a job.

As the parent of a girl who was a mistreated in middle school, I have often wondered what can be done to bring about change for students like my daughter. I know from my own experience, that top down discipline does not provide for a safe school climate. If it did, my many calls to the school about how my daughter was being treated, would have brought about change.
What I have learned from this insightful, compelling book is that by empowering the students, we can build safer schools, from the inside-out, an obvious, and simple solution. Research based and well written, Safe School Ambassadors:Harnessing Student Power, is a must read for Professionals and Parents alike.

I have worked with young people for over 30 years as a theatre educator and drama therapist. The problem of schools being unsafe and uncivil places in which to learn is growing around the globe. In addition to providing a clear overview of the problem, I believe the authors express quite eloquently the key to the solution: youth empowerment. It is through relationship that young people develop their behavioral repertoire and, as is expressed in this book, "Outside-In" approaches that focus on rules, monitoring, and enforcement cannot effectively change the social norms that make it O.K. for students to mistreat each other. Kudos to the authors on creating such a valuable resource.

Inspiring, I give it two thumbs up for offering a sane point of view about minimizing bully and violence in schools, while staying sensitive to the young people at the same time.

I also went to the Safe School Ambassador website and saw a 4-minute NBC Today Show clip about this program. The clip gives a good summary of the authors' point of view, and you also get to hear some unscripted responses from young people who have been through the program.