When students returned to M-A after the COVID-19 pandemic, student conflicts on campus noticeably increased. The number of fights between students surged during this immediate post-lockdown period, sparking concerns over student safety.
M-A’s administration swiftly addressed this issue through multiple initiatives implemented to improve security. They added an additional campus aid and also contracted the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center (PCRC), a non-profit organization that works to resolve disputes in schools and prisons before they escalate to violence. M-A hired a part-time PCRC conflict mediator to come to campus four times a week.
Data provided by the administration shows a significant decrease in student-disciplinary issues since the implementation of these strategies. From 2020 to today, the total number of referrals on campus has decreased by 42%. Total suspensions have decreased by 23%, and first-time suspensions have decreased by 18%.
The addition of a PCRC conflict mediator to M-A’s campus may have contributed to these improvements. “In terms of individual suspensions and referrals, we’ve had some of our lowest numbers we’ve seen in 10 to 15 years,” Principal Karl Losekoot said.
From 2000 to 2019, the number of annual referrals—when a teacher or other staff member alerts the AVP office of poor student behavior—ranged between 2500 to 3000. These numbers have decreased by more than 50% in the last few years.
If administration becomes aware of a brewing dispute, they refer students to the conflict mediator in hopes of easing tensions before anything turns physical. “We’re also able to have either our conflict mediator or PCRC check in with students that had a conflict brewing, and we could help that person not necessarily resolve it, but help them navigate it through coaching,” Losekoot said.
The conflict-resolution team can connect with students through referrals from the Administrative Vice Principal (AVP) office or referrals from teachers. Students can also fill out a conflict mediation form themselves to bypass administration entirely. Jaime Diaz and Karina Flores currently serve as M-A’s on-campus conflict mediators.
“I describe my role as the opposite of a divorce lawyer,” Diaz said. “In a divorce, the lawyers tell their clients to not talk to the other person—everything will be handled separately. With mediation, we bring parties together so that they can increase understanding of what happened and then work their way through acceptance and forgiveness.”
The PCRC is not limited to diffusing physical altercations. It is often used by friends who are struggling to navigate through a rough patch, or students falling behind in class and losing motivation. For more serious disputes, the PCRC collaborates with AVPs, the students involved, and sometimes those students’ families to come to what they call a “mediation agreement,” or their game plan moving forward.
“After an argument, the cortisol levels are high in somebody’s body for about seven days. With all that adrenaline, all that cortisol, it’s understandable that somebody is still going to feel angry three days after an incident,” Diaz said. “So, then what I usually do is meet with the students separately at first to try and understand their point of view and feelings. Once I feel confident in the students’ separate development, I’ll bring them together.”
While plenty of resources have been put into conflict resolution over the past few years, Losekoot recognized that conflict prevention is only a first step. “We’ve put a ton of resources into conflict resolution, but there’s only so much you can do there. Now, we’re trying to put our resources into fostering a positive community and connections. We’re attacking it at the roots,” he said.
The PCRC has played a pivotal role in the substantial decline in suspension, referral, and expulsion rates in the past few years. If you would like to speak to a conflict mediator, fill out this form or stop by D-17 to speak to Diaz or the front office to see Flores.
