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Peer-to-peer sexual harassment is rampant in elementary and secondary schools. While sometimes identified and curtailed, it is usually tolerated and characterized as normal. Regardless of the ways school authorities regard sexual harassment, it interferes with a student's right to receive equal educational opportunities and violates Title IX. This paper describes the experiences of students who have experienced sexual harassment by their peers and discusses its ramifications. A conclusion is that, ultimately, a strategy to attack sexual harassment in schools needs to aim at a transformation of the broader school culture. The problem must become a public concern. Finally, action should be taken in conjunction with efforts to reduce other practices that promote inequalities, such as tracking, standardized testing, biased curricula, and classroom pedagogies. (LMI)

Many things stretch the bonds between caregiver and child, perhaps none more than war. Children's healthy illusions of their personal safety, well-being, and control of their environment is shattered. The resulting stresses cause varying levels and types of trauma, as well as varying mechanisms of coping. This paper explores the problems war causes in a child's environment, particularly in terms of children's responses to war and its effects upon the caregiver-child relationship. Children respond by becoming either passive victims or active warrior victims: passive victims tend to see themselves as helpless and try to carry on as children despite their threatened safety, well-being, and lack of environmental control; active warrior victims are children who take on adult roles and forfeit their childhoods in trying to control their environment. An examination of studies detailing the historical experiences of children in the war situations of World War II, Northern Ireland, Cambodia, South America, and of children in concentration camps is included. Short-term and long term effects, and differences in reactions in children of various age groups, are examined. The paper stresses the importance of caregivers' knowledge of these issues. Contains 25 references. (SD)

This paper discusses the issues surrounding the transition from home or preschool to elementary school for children from low-income families, and examines the future direction of transition programs to help alleviate many of the difficulties that these families face. Noting that there are two venues for reform action, the curriculum and the family and community, the paper presents different visions for ideal schools. One such vision suggests that schools will become a coordinating agency for many of the services and support agencies needed by families. Another view stresses the need to make schooling more central to family and community while making family and community more central to schooling. The paper recommends that to make the transition to school easier for children and their families, transition programs need to stress: (1) curriculum continuity; (2) instructional quality; (3) safe and stimulating settings; (4) parent involvement partnerships; (5) medical, dental, and nutritional minimums; and (6) value-added assessment. (MDM)

The Study Group on Violence is recommending the implementation of several initial steps that can begin to alleviate the repercussions of pervasive violence in U.S. homes, individual communities and society as a whole. When the Study Group began examining the impact of violence on very young children, their families and practitioners, it realized from the outset that there are no simple solutions to the complex issues surrounding violence. The paper notes that family violence, community violence, and societal violence are all on a similar continuum, have an impact on each other, and frequently affect the same individuals. It notes the continual barrage of violence in the community and the media, and the desensitization that results. The paper then calls for a multisector approach to the problem of violence, with a three-point agenda: (1) a family-centered approach to addressing trauma/prevention; (2) a realignment of values to provide incentives that support nonviolent choices; and (3) informed comprehensive public policy strategies for reducing violence. The paper emphasizes that the entire society, from the individual, to the family, to the government and institutions, must lend a hand in providing assistance. (JDD)

This paper discusses the importance of collaboration across social service and educational sectors as a way of achieving a coherent and integrated system that assures that young children receive the high quality of care and education they need and that also maximizes the use of federal, state, and local resources. Section 1 of the paper discusses the nation's commitment to six education goals and the challenges of finding more effective means whereby programs for the poor and the working poor, especially child care and early childhood programs, can reach the children who need them. Section 2 explores the extent to which all children are ready to learn and the extent to which society is ready to support young children. The characteristics of an early care and education system that works for children and families are explored in section 3. Section 4 describes the major sources of new or expanded support for young children and their families. Section 5 identifies the need to create a shared vision for young children and their families, and to establish a sustainable cross-sector mechanism to carry out long-term planning and implementation to bring the vision to reality. This section also discusses the need to build linkages among the various program components, develop joint or coordinated responses to problems in the current set of programs and services, and strengthen the overall capacity to connect disadvantaged families to high-quality developmental services. A 22-item bibliography on early childhood programs and new funding is included. (SM)

This fourth document in the Education and Human Services Consortium's Series on Collaboration puts current efforts to create comprehensive and coordinated child and family-serving systems in a 30-year context of related endeavors. Starting from the premise that thinking about ways to structure and improve human services has been clouded by decades of myth, counter-myth, and nonproductive rhetoric, the paper proceeds by systematically sorting through this inheritance to develop a new perspective for the 1990s. In the course of the analysis numerous service and access models of the 1960s and 1970s, and the paper concludes by offering five lessons for the future based on the experiences of the past. The lessons concern: (1) the importance of modesty and humility (that is, of not raising expectations beyond some point of real possibility); (2) an awareness of limited resources; (3) the need for diversity and collaboration; (4) the effects of complexity; and (5) the need to build synergy. The service delivery and access models of multiservice centers and settlement houses are discussed. The planning and resource allocation models considered are the Youth Bureau model and state and local offices for children. Models for specific places, such as Model Cities, are also noted. A commentary by Sidney L. Gardner raises additional issues, including the need for outcome measures, changes in funding approaches, and the need for planning. Contains 5 references. (LB)

Over the years, the United States has evolved a system of local, state, and national/federal educational decision-making that, according to the author, makes a smooth, well-integrated system of policy development and implementation unachievable. However, certain things can be accomplished only at the federal level, including consistent data calculation across states, provision of programs for students with special needs, and accountability for federal funding. The writer discusses the role of the federal government in education, and advocates that appropriate policy may serve as a significant tool for reduction of youth poverty. An appendix includes additional data by state on the percentage of children in poverty, the chance for attending college by age 19, change in population, change in high school completion rates, annual net migration of bachelor's degrees by state, percentage of adults with an associate degree or higher, and percentages of 9th graders lost in the educational pipeline and those attaining bachelor's degrees. (Contains 4 footnotes and 11 figures.) [This paper was commissioned by the Center on Education Policy for its project on Rethinking the Federal Role in Elementary and Secondary Education.]

This report proposes a restructuring of the statutory framework for dealing with PINS (persons in need of supervision) defined as children under 16 whom the court has determined to be incorrigible, ungovernable or habitually disobedient and beyond the lawful control of parents or other lawful authority. The proposal, as described in the recommendations which conclude this report, is built on existing New York statutory mandates, procedures, and funding streams which allow intervention to secure services and placement for a range of juvenile problems and misbehavior. Following a brief history of Statewide Youth Advocacy, Inc., background information is provided on the kinds of adolescent problems within PINS jurisdiction as well as characteristics of the families and individuals involved, including youths who have been neglected or abused, those with special education needs or emotional disturbances, runaways, and delinquents. The petitioning process and its outcomes are described, and changes in expectations and objectives are reviewed in light of recent legislation. Service systems for PINS are described, including out-of-home care, Department of Social Services Preventive Services, Division for Youth local assistance, and mental health services. The role of the schools is discussed and suggestions for improved service delivery are provided including central intake, emergency shelters, intensive home and community-based intervention, and a juvenile mediation process. Recommendations focus on redefining the role of family court, and techniques for structuring the planning and coordination of service delivery. The appendices contain information on placement costs and a glossary of terms. (JAC)

This personal essay highlights a disturbing trend in the increasing divorce rates not only in Nigerian society, but also across the entire globe. The paper notes many cultural differences between how Nigerian society and the Western world perceive divorce, emphasizing that, worldwide, children are always the victims. Of particular concern is the impact that this trend is having on the welfare of children in these broken families. Children of broken families are susceptible to a range of developmental issues that will require careful monitoring and perhaps intervention. The essay recommends counseling as a method of helping family members cope with whatever changes the dissolution of a marriage will bring. (GCP)

Young people deserve to grow and thrive in good times and bad, in poverty and prosperity, in war and peace. Yet children still suffer from hunger, poverty, and maltreatment, even in a country as rich as the United States. This paper provides a historical background of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the kinds and nature of the services it provides, and how individuals can help UNICEF to provide a better environment for children. Recommendations include providing access to quality education, helping children to gain language and cultural training, encouraging them to develop self esteem and important life skills such as critical thinking and assertiveness, and teaching children to understand global problems such as pollution and destruction of the rain forest. People need to see every child as their own child, so that all people can learn to live productively in a world of great diversity. (MOK)

This speech focuses on the ways in which many individuals try to teach others about emotional health and well-being without having accomplished the same for themselves. The speaker posits that some are better talkers than doers because to really find a sense of health and stability, one must forget about oneself; one must become "absent" of self rather than focused on self. Further, a sense of well-being and fulfillment will never be found with the intellect by dwelling on what this personal sense of self thinks it wants, needs, or deserves. There are eight characteristics or attitudes of an emotionally healthy adult: sees what needs to be done and does it; (2) lives life in silent integrity; (3) serves others; (4) is creative and a good problem solver; (5) accepts changes and disruptions; (6) is not influenced by peer pressure; (7) is kind, gracious, courteous, giving and compassionate; and (8) has a sense of humor. Teaching young children and working with their parents is the perfect employment for anyone seeking emotional health because many daily demands are made to forget oneself, so ideas, certainty, and goodness can flow. These demands are what force the practice of this absence of self so fulfillment can follow. Educator attitudes towards the parents of the children they teach create the environment in which parents can learn about children, parenting, and emotional health. The speaker exemplifies this philosophy through discussions of parenting and child behavior. (JBJ)

This report, the third annual publication of Iowa Kids Count, proposes that, by building upon effective system of support, and moving decision-making to the family and community level, solutions to the problems confronting today's youth can be found. The first section of this report summarizes the framework paper developed for the Kids Count Summit. It serves as the framework for the development of a strategic plan for Iowa's youth that will be achieved through an inclusive, statewide planning process involving five separate work groups. The second section of the report offers brief descriptions of current Iowa initiatives that are succeeding with very young children and their families. The programs share a common approach to helping families, yet represent a diversity of specific programmatic approaches upon which a prevention agenda can be built within communities. The final section provides current data on the eight indicators of child well-being used in previous reports: (1) infant mortality; (2) low birthweight; (3) child deaths; (4) teen violent deaths; (5) births to 16- and 17-year-olds; (6) teen unmarried births; (7) foster care; and (8) high school graduation. An additional indicator, child abuse, has been added. This section also includes comparisons among rural, small urban, and metropolitan statistics. (TJQ)

While most studies on the effects violence has on children concentrate on exposure to warfare or single cases of trauma, this document focuses on the effects of chronic violent events on the well-being of Palestinian youth. Information in this paper was attained from discussions with Palestinian youth ages 5-16 in Israel. The purpose of these discussions was to gain insight into the children's perceptions of the ongoing events, during the Intifada. Conclusions are that the Intifada represents more to Palestinian youth than a conflict with Israeli soldiers. To the children of the Intifada, it is a mechanism for seeking and securing their national identity. Most of the children reported happiness that the Intifada had arrived even though they have been subjected to beatings, school closure, shooting and imprisonment during this period of time. (SR)

Changes in the overall conditions of children as indicated by income, family structure and background, health, and other measures warrant a reassessment of the delivery of children's services and a reconsideration of the school role. Children's conditions and their implications for educational administrative policy are examined in this paper. The current educational system, based on inadequate single policy solutions that result in underservice and fragmentation, requires a fundamental rethinking. Short-term efforts of various states that have reconceptualized the purpose of children's services are briefly described. A crucial long-term goal incorporates a changed perspective that recognizes the child within the context of the larger social system and views the school as the nexus of institutional networks. From this perspective, the school role changes from deliverer of educational resources to that of broker of multiple resources. (15 references) (LMI)

Despite economic and social challenges facing California, Children Now advocates that the foundation of state vitality and well-being is a healthy, educated and skilled population, and urges efficient investments in children. State leadership is called upon to: (1) Ensure every child has affordable health insurance coverage; (2) Invest earlier in a child's life, to capitalize on the opportunity to improve cognitive, social and emotional development; (3) Increase access to preventive supports and services through integrated services; (4) Improve the K-12 system with evidence-based reforms; and (5) Deliver safe and enriching after school programs to all children who lack access to them, tailoring them to the distinctive programmatic needs of local communities. The "2009 California Report Card" provides an agenda for strengthening California through its children by detailing: (1) key public policy developments in 2008 that impact children's well-being; (2) policy objectives for improving the well-being of children; (3) recent data representing the current status of California's children; and (4) specific, immediate actions to target during the 2009-10 legislative session. (Contains 208 endnotes.)

War is so devastating that if at all possible, it should be avoided. But if reasoning and negotiation fail to yield peace between nations and countries and war results, the loss to children must be minimized. In the last decade, two million children have been killed in wars and conflicts, 4.5 million have been disabled and 12 million have been left homeless. Environmental damage due to the use of nuclear and chemical weaponry is horrendous; there are higher cancer and disease rates as well as higher rates of offspring born with birth defects. Also, disproportionate spending on war takes funding away from programs that improve the quality of life (Marshall, 2004). Children must be kept in mind during times of war; they need to be with their parents, protected within their home communities and have basic health, educational and social services. In as much as education is the foundation on which all professional and service endeavors are built, any decision for engagement in war must protect the educational system; there must be contingency plans in place to safeguard children and meet their developmental needs. This presentation focuses on the issue of war and how it impacts school children. It addresses war as a last-resort strategy, but because of the probability of war continuing to occur, means are offered for various sectors of society to minimize the loss for school children. (Contains 1 table.)