In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 8% of youth in grades 9-12 reported being in a physical fight one or more times in the 12 months preceding the survey, with more than 7% reporting being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property. Homicide is the 3rd leading cause of…

A rise in the number of school shootings over time has driven increasing attention to school safety. However, school shootings are not the only physical safety threat students may encounter at school. Other types of violence include sexual assault, robbery, physical attack or fights, and threats of physical attack (with or without a weapon). In…

Introduction: Undergraduate psychology programs offer opportunities for the development of knowledge and specialized skills in order to equip students to work with diverse populations. Statement of the Problem: It is crucial for psychology clinicians and other human service providers to understand and be responsive to the scope of cultural…

For many children of color, the cumulative impact of pre-existing stressors, disparities, and pandemic-related losses has contributed to a toxic level of stress. Toxic stress can disrupt healthy brain development making children vulnerable to physical and mental health problems. School nurses are the primary health professionals who interact with…

This column shares reflections or thoughtful opinions on issues of broad interest to the community. This month's issue calls on STEM professionals to take three simple steps toward diversifying the STEM workforce.

In this chapter, we discuss microaggressions, or the everyday (and often unintended) incidents of discrimination that individuals from marginalized or underserved groups experience on college campuses as they relate to students' social class identities--or simply, class-based prejudices.

The purpose of this article is to discuss the need for teaching tolerance in music classrooms, as well as the role of music educators in preventing discrimination and promoting tolerance of all targeted groups, but particularly in regard to students with disabilities. Also addressed are curricular implications, suggestions for dealing with abusive…

What happens when the outside world begins to affect the classroom? Is the classroom supposed to be neutral, objective, and devoid of feelings? Or is it a space where students and teacher meet for healing, understanding, and critical thinking? From news reports of police brutality to highly publicized acts of racial aggression, students are…

This paper reflects my experiences developing a course within the Criminal Justice Technology Associates of Science degree program at Valencia College that fuses topics unique to peace and police studies. The key challenge in developing this course was in confronting the paradox of the police as instruments of both peace and conflict. In dealing…

Since the late 1920s, diversity initiatives at the "Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School" (LREI) in New York City have centered on strategic conversations related to equity, justice, and inclusion. In this article, Sandra Chapman, Director of Diversity and Community, and Phil Kassen, Head of School, decided that they…

In this article, Robert Honour, Training and Staff Development Manager, at the Fairfax, Virginia, Department of Family Services (DFS), reports on the outcome of "Healing Racism" training at his organization. Participants in "Healing Racism Institutes" are transforming relationships and creating an organizational culture that…

The social justice issue of human sex trafficking is a global form of oppression that places men, women and children at risk for sexual exploitation. Although a body of research exists on the topics of human trafficking, literature specific to the mental health implications for counselors working with this population is limited. Counselors should…

Bullying and school violence are critical issues facing 21st century educational leaders. U.S. public schools have been scrambling to develop and implement anti-bullying programs with varying degrees of success. Bullying leads to disruption of learning, and its lasting effects of anxiety, depression, anger, and actual brain damage follow victims…

Adolescent African American females face multiple obstacles that hinder their educational success. High school completion and college attendance rates remain lower for African American females than those for other racial and gender groups, while pregnancy rates for African American teens are higher. Group work holds promise for meeting the…

Racial microaggressions are brief, everyday interactions that send denigrating messages to people of color because they belong to a racially minoritised group. Compared to more overt forms of racism, racial microaggressions are subtle and insidious, often leaving the victim confused, distressed and frustrated and the perpetrator oblivious of the…