I recently saw the grass-roots movie phenomenon "Race to Nowhere." The filmmaker, Vicki Abeles, describes it as a "call to mobilize families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens."… read this issue >>

In 1984, the people who were interested in peer mediation could fit in one room. I know because I was lucky enough to be there. About three dozen educators and conflict resolution practitioners gathered on Cape Cod, Massachusetts for the first NAME conference. We were excited. We had begun training young people to mediate conflicts, and the results were impressive and inspiring. Though the quantitative research that confirmed our individual observations came much later, we knew we were on to something special… read this issue >>

"If all the statisticians in the world were laid head to toe, they wouldn't be able to reach a conclusion."  Anonymous It was great to receive so many responses to the "State of Peer Mediation 2011" Survey. Ninety-nine people responded, about 4% of The School Mediator's subscribers. Respondents represent a fairly wide geographic range: they live in 25 different US states and 8 countries.* About 4/5 of respondents are based in the US, and 29% percent of the total live and work in Massachusetts, where School Mediation Associates is based.… read this issue >>

Sam Diener, of the Center for Nonviolent Solutions in Worcester MA, created these insightful talking points to assist educators in speaking with students about the shooting in the Chardon, Ohio high school yesterday. Thanks to Sam for allowing me to publish them. I edited them with his permission.… read this issue >>