Leadership, Violence, and School Climate
Case Studies in Creating Non-Violent Schools
By (author) Kyle E. Blanchfield, Peter D. Ladd
Publication date:
11 July 2013Length of book:
180 pagesPublisher
R&L EducationISBN-13: 9781475801705
In the book, Leadership, Violence and School Climate: Case Studies in Creating Non-Violent Schools, three important themes are emphasized namely, democratic leadership, violence and school climate. The book recognizes that safety should be the first issue of concern when addressing school violence. However, violence in schools should not be the sole concern of outside experts who advocate for lock downs, metal detectors and bullet proof glass. Through democratic school leadership violence can be reduced by those professionals actually working in schools. The book emphasizes that reduction in school violence originates from school leaders having a comprehensive understanding of the climate found in schools. Leadership, violence and school climate are connected through the use of democratic principles that address; crisis, trauma, empowerment, common ground, critical thinking, assertiveness and others. The book points out how schools can reverse their reactionary stance to violence, and become pro-active through the practice of democratic principles.
As a 40 year veteran of school leadership I thought I was reading my professional life experiences in the case studies that Blanchfield and Ladd analyze in their book. They clearly go upstream to the source of school violence as they emphasize the importance of democratic leadership and apply best practices to make our schools safe. A must read for any school principal.