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MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TAKES A STAND
AGAINST VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY MIAMI – Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, and involved community leaders held a press conference today to outline the implementation of initiatives to prevent and address violence in the community. The initiatives are a partnership between Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the community to curb violence. Among the initiatives discussed were: • “All Eyes, All Hands, All Hearts” - A call-to-action for our entire community, including faith-based institutions, community based organizations, municipalities, the State Attorney’s Office, law enforcement, schools, students, and parents, to take a stand against violence and make a commitment to social responsibility and shared ownership of the problem of violence. • Weapon Amnesty – an ongoing interagency program that allows people to turn in weapons to a designated safe site. • U Decide – an awareness campaign for students to take responsibility for their own behavior and make positive choices. • Communication Pipeline – dedicated communication resources to hear students’ safety-related issues, anonymously, 24/7. In addition to telephone hotlines, social media, which is often more favored by youth, will be incorporated. • Parent Outreach – Working with the PTA, parent advisory groups, and the Parent Academy on a series of regional meetings with panels of experts, in areas of bullying, cyber-safety, building resilience, adolescent mental health, and violence prevention. Meetings will be scheduled to accommodate parents’ schedules. • Youth Summit – Bringing together community stakeholders, particularly our youth, for a youth-driven conference that allows students to initiate conversations and action plans to curb violence. These programs will complement the District’s ongoing initiatives that support violence prevention for students and adults. # # # 09-JJS/027/VVL |
