Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
John Reynolds
Committee Member
Dennis Triplett
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
academic achievement, African American, assessment, Caucasian, children, comparative data, conflict resolution, conflict resolution program, Darlington County, Darlington County School District, educational experience, faculty members, grade retention, grades 9-12, high schools, households, implementation, interviews, rural communities, school district, school environment, school violence, single-parent families, South Carolina, student alienation, students, surveys, teachers, transitional programs, violence prevention
Abstract
Eliminating violence in the school setting is essential in order to ensure each student a meaningful educational experience that will lead to a productive life. Is a conflict resolution program a viable means of eliminating or decreasing school violence and thus improving school environment? This study analyzed the effects of a conflict resolution program at the 4 high schools in South Carolina’s Darlington County. Changes in students and teachers as a result of said program were documented.
The 4 high schools in the Darlington County School District serve all students in Grades 9 through 12 (approximately 3,400) in this predominantly rural county. The county’s population of 65,000 is 59.2% Caucasian, 40.7% African American, and 0.2% other ethnicities. Forty-one percent of the households in this county have children under the age of 17, and of these, 34.5% are single-parent families.
Comparative data from the 4 high schools in Darlington County are provided in this report to evaluate the original conflict resolution program that was implemented in the district. Methods of assessment included surveys of students and teachers and interviews with faculty members. The results of the surveys and interviews indicated the usefulness of a conflict resolution program and suggested strategies for future implementation.