(CA) CA Teachers Association Lunacy

Mendocino

New member
A teacher friend of mine forwarded this to me...


Dear Member of the Ishmael Community


You are invited to the California Teachers Association Region 2 sponsored
Conference: Stopping the Fear: Creating ViolenceFree Public Schools and
Communities.

This Conference is designed to present a variety of ideas and opinions on
the topic of violence with the hope of developing outreach programs and
action plans.

The Conference is presented as a public service so that is no cost to
participants.


The web site and online registration for the conference is:
http://www.ctarrce.org/Stopping_the_Fear_Page_1.htm


A text version is below: Please feel free to contact me if you have any
questions. Also, please feel free to pass this invitation to any person or
organization that you believe is supportive.

My very best

Yale S. Wishnick, Ed.D.
Negotiations and Organization Development Department
California Teachers Association

____________________________________

Stopping the Fear
Creating ViolenceFree Schools and Communities

You are invited to an extraordinary, groundbreaking conference to design
violencefree public schools and communities. Join with other concerned
teachers, parents and community leaders in welcoming a host of leading edge
thinkers, authors, and practitioners as we explore the root causes -- not
the symptoms of violence.

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For additional information or hotel accommodations contact Karen at (916)
969-4700.

___________________________________________________

November 17th
Pre-Conference Intensive

10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
ViolenceFree Ethics: A panel of distinguished speakers will present a new
vision for violencefree schools and communities. Participants will have an
opportunity to ask questions and engage panel members in a dialogue.

ViolenceFree Schools: 10 Things To Do Right Now. Participants will be
introduced to a variety of actions that can be taken right now to begin
creating violencefree schools and communities.

_________________________________________________________________________

November 18th
Conference

8:00 AM - Registration
8:30 AM - Plenary Session
10:00 AM - ViolenceFree Workshops
12:30 PM - Lunch - Tony La Russa
1:45 PM - ViolenceFree Workshops
4:00 PM - Networking & Partnering
4:45 PM - Closing Session
5:00 PM - Conference Concludes

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November 17 ¨ Animal Place ¨ 3448 Laguna Creek Trail ¨ Vacaville, CA

November 18 ¨ Clarion Hotel ¨ 700 16th Street ¨ Sacramento, CA

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Teach Your Children Well . . .
You are invited to an extraordinary, groundbreaking conference to design
violencefree public schools and communities. Join with educators, parents,
public officials and community leaders in welcoming a host of leading edge
thinkers, authors, and practitioners as we explore the root causes -- not
the symptoms of violence.
____________________________________________________________________________
____
Conference Keynoter
Tony La Russa, former manager of the Oakland A's and current manager of the
St. Louis Cardinals, founded the Animal Rescue Foundation in 1991. La Russa,
founded the ARF for the purpose of saving animal lives and improving the
quality of relationships between people and their companion animals, with
emphasis on populations like abused children, victims of violence, the
elderly and others who gain comfort from the "healing connection" with
non-human animals.
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There are a few heroes walking among us. Join us on November 18th to meet
one of them.
". . . For me, THE WITNESS is a mythic story of relationship - about how the
honest and simple affection of a tiny cat grows one man's heart so big that
it spills its compassion all over the city of New York."
"After seeing The Witness, you will never again doubt the magic of
relationship - human to human, or human to animal. There is no greater power
on earth."

-Susan McElroy
Author of NY Times Bestseller
Animals as Teachers and Healers

THE WITNESS tells the story of Eddie Lama, a construction contractor from a
violent neighborhood in Brooklyn who grew up in a family that disliked and
avoided animals.
With humor and sincerity, Eddie describes his step-by-step journey to
compassion, from the unexpected love of a kitten who opened his heart, to
the shocking undercover video footage that motivated him to invent a wholly
new method for awakening the public to the injustice of animal exploitation.
Without judgment, Eddie invites those who hear his story to question their
own ideas about the human-animal relationship, and to remember that we all
have the capacity not only to change in deep and profoundly positive ways,
but also to make a difference in the lives of countless others.

_________________________________________________________________________

Space is limited. Register by September 15th to insure a conference space
without any registration fee.

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Breakout Sessions
Developing a ViolenceFree Curriculum
Creating a School Safety Community
Early Warning Signs to Violence
Student Mediation
Humane Education for the Classroom
Professional Development Opportunities
Strength Through Our Diversity
Student Empowerment
Teaching Compassion
ViolenceFree Ethics
Parent - Teacher - Student Partnerships

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Attend the Pre-Conference Intensive November 17th @ ANIMAL PLACE
Violence comes in many forms and has no class, racial, economic or
geographical boundaries. To combat violence, our schools have resorted to
metal detectors with more rules and regulations restricting our freedom. A
new set of violencefree ethics is required. This intensive is hands on, so
be prepared to get lots of ideas, suggestions and strategies for creating
violencefree schools.

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Featured speakers

MARJORIE SPIEGEL is a documentary photographer and the author of several
books, including The Dreaded Comparison. Ms. Spiegel will present an
in-depth exploration of the similarities between the violence humans have
wrought against other humans, and our culture's treatment of non-human
animals.

Alice Walker on the work of Spiegel: "The animals of the world exist for
their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people
were made for whites or women for men. This the essence of Ms. Spiegel's
cogent, human, and astute argument, and it is sound."


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MARY LOU RANDOUR, Ph.D. is a psychologist, director for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals and a consultant to the Doris Day Animal Foundation.
Dr. Randour has written numerous books and publications on creating a more
compassionate society. She has done considerable work on the link between
human and animal violence.

Dr. Jane Goodall on the work of Randour: "Dr. Randour invites us to open our
hearts and minds to the animal lives around us. She shows us with powerful
storytelling and compelling scholarship that by serving the crucial cause of
animals we can also enrich our lives immeasurably."

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Awakening Respect, Compassion & Responsibility through animals.
Pamela Raphael, a leading humane educator and author of Teaching Compassion,
will show teachers and parents how to stimulate verbal and written
expression and the ability to identify emotions through animal-related
lessons designed to create writing opportunities for young people. By using
the book Teaching Compassion, young people learn about the importance of
caring for themselves, others and the environment.

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The S.E.E.D. Project
Seeking Educational Equity & Diversity
The National S.E.E.D. Project encourages a systemic understanding of gender,
race and class relations, so that educators and parents can work together to
transform the school curriculum to meet the needs of all children. S.E.E.D.
seminars enable all educators to develop equitable classrooms which provide
students with windows and mirrors to support a deep understanding of self
and respect for the cultural realities of others. Learn from a team of San
Juan and Elk Grove School District teachers how you can bring the S.E.E.D
Program to your school district and classroom.

____________________________________________________________________________
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Networking & Partnering
You will have the opportunity to network and partner with other participants
to develop district and community outreach programs and violencefree action
plans. Learn quick and innovative strategies for increasing mutually shared
respect, support and trust.

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Stopping the Cycle of Violence: Healing the Innocent
The link between animal cruelty and violence towards humans, including child
abuse, spousal battery and other criminal behaviors is clear. Often, the
companion animal is the first casualty of domestic violence.

Happy Tails, a Sacramento based organization, has been responding to the
needs of animals by providing medical care and attention to heal the
physical and mental wounds of thousands of dogs and cats.

Learn from Happy Tails Executive Director, Melinie diLuck, how working with
animals can begin to break the cycle of violence. Explore the power of
unconditional love and how a new sense of compassion and caring can result
in both children and adults. Find out what you can do right now in your
classrooms and community to create a violencefree environment by using basic
principals and beliefs of humane education.

____________________________________________________________________________
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Educators for
Social Responsibility PRESENT
Creating Peaceable Classrooms
This session will present concepts and strategies involved in creating
peaceable classrooms. Information will be shared on how to build a more
positive school climate, create a safer, more respectful, more personalized
learning environment, and integrate social and emotional learning, conflict
resolution, and diversity education into your classroom and school.

At Educators for Social Responsibility, our primary mission is to make
teaching social responsibility a core practice in education so that young
people develop the convictions and skills needed to shape a safe,
sustainable, democratic, and just world.
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No More Tears or Fears
It's Time to Get Serious About Violence

A unprecedented coalition of 24 national animal protection organizations,
joined by PetsMart Charities, have launched a new public education campaign
for the new year dubbed, "2000: Year of the Humane Child."

Commenting on the Year of the Humane Child, Robert Agnew, Ph.D., Professor
of Sociology at Emory University and the director of its Violent Studies
Program, believes that all of society benefits when children have positive
relationships with animals. "I believe that it's important to treat animals
humanely, not only for their own sake but because it also makes children
better people."

During this session find out how you can bring the Year of the Humane Child
to your school and community.

The Year of the Humane Child program is working to provide as many means as
possible for children of all ages and backgrounds to share the warm,
trusting, loving and enriching experiences that relationships with animals
bring. Whether the message comes from a book, a teacher, a field trip, a
celebrity, a video or the animals themselves, it's up to caring adults to
lead the way.
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Conference Highlights
How children are raised shapes their values and behaviors. Children learn
from adult role models and the society they live in. A home of violence,
abuse, or neglect produces children who may pass these behaviors on to the
next generation, which passes them on to the next generation, and so on.

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Who Should Attend
Teachers
Parents
Students
Administrators
Public Agencies
Elected Officials
College Students
Advocacy Groups
Humane Educators
Community Leaders
Members of the Faith Community
Members of the Business Community
 
While I'll certainly admit that it's loony, it's sure a refreshing change from the "If we just get rid of the weapons, there'll be no more violence, ever!" argument.

They seem to be acknowledging, at least, that violence is a behavioral problem, not an ability problem.

"Join with other concerned teachers... as we explore the root causes -- not the symptoms of violence."

"To combat violence, our schools have resorted to metal detectors with more rules and regulations restricting our freedom. A
new set of violence free ethics is required."

Though it comes in a strange package, I can't help but see it as at least a very, very, very, very small step in an almost correct direction.

I dunno, maybe I read it wrong. :confused:

[This message has been edited by JJR (edited August 15, 2000).]
 
I think you read it right ... looks like a bait and switch, from school violence to PETA.

But, I agree ... at least it isn't focused on reducing our freedoms further - they even make a statement to that effect.

I believe strongly in treating animals humanely. But, I don't think giving up pork chops is going to reduce violence in schools. ;)

Live and let live. Regards from AZ
 
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