3/29/01
AU TO HOST PANEL DISCUSSION ON SAFE SCHOOLS, VIOLENCE PREVENTION
AUBURN -- The Auburn University College of Education will host a panel discussion on "Safe Schools and Violence Prevention" on Tuesday (April 3), says co-coordinator Ivan Watts, an expert on school violence.
The two-hour presentation will begin at 4 p.m., at the AU Hotel and Dixon Conference Center.
The forum is open to the public and will be of special interest to public school teachers, administrators, students and parents, says Watts, who is an authority on the origins and spread of school violence in the United States. He developed a section on school violence awareness and response for the curriculum in the AU College of Education.
Panel members include Watts, state Sen. Ted Little, D-Auburn, Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones, Lee County School administrator Larry DiCharra. Others include local teacher Leah Stover, school counselor Almesha Ramsey and Larry Sankey, who will provide a parent's perspective.
Moderator and co-coordinator of the event will be Cindy Reed of the College of Education faculty.
Several area high school students are also expected to participate, Watts said.
"We hope to focus discussion on what is being done in east and central Alabama to curb school violence and what we can do to make our schools less susceptible," said Watts. "Each of the presenters has a unique perspective on the issue and can offer some insights on how to approach it.
"Our goal is to use this activity as a springboard to other activities that can help us increase community awareness of the problems posed by school violence," he added. "Then, we want to build on that awareness to prevent the level of violence from reaching the danger point in our schools."
The presentation is sponsored by the AU College of Education Dean's Office, the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology and the College of Education Student Council.
For further information, contact Watts at 334/844-3051 or Reed at 334/844-3060. Both are assistant professors in the college.
mar01:AU-schoolviolence