VCU, Hayes E. Willis Clinic to host peace in schools festival

By Michael Ford
University News Services

A professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine is organizing a community forum to deal with the recent surge of local violence that has affected school-aged children and that has even spilled over into the classroom.

Daphne L. Bryan, M.D., assistant professor, family practice and medical director of the Hayes E. Willis Health Center of South Richmond, said students need to find an appropriate means for handling anger and she wants to help.

"There is a real problem of violence in our schools. It is kids against kids as well as kids against teachers and other people in roles of authority," said Bryan. "And now bullying and aggressive teasing must be included in the definition of violence. It certainly does contribute to the problem."

Bryan has organized a three-hour forum focusing on peace in schools. The session is open to students, parents, teachers, counselors and principals. Bryan hopes to encourage participants to discuss solutions for placing a moratorium on bullying and aggressive teasing in schools.

"We hope to make teachers and principals especially sensitive to the child who is treated as an outcast and is teased and bullied daily in the schools," Bryan said. "Words can hurt and we know all too well from the lessons of Columbine that relentless teasing can sometimes lead to retaliation and higher levels of violence."

Bryan is teaming with other VCU faculty, local education officials and public safety representatives to spend a day in dialogue with parents, teachers, principals and students about student behavior and will exchange ideas to encourage more civil behavior in school.

The peace in schools forum is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Hayes E. Willis Health Center of South Richmond, 4730 N. Southside Plaza.