04/20/2001 02:05 PM Senate HES

       CSHB 99(HES)-SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AND SAFETY PROGRAMS                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LESIL  MCGUIRE, sponsor  of  HB  99, informed  the                                                              
committee  that  CSHB 99(HES)  was  unanimously  supported by  the                                                              
House.  She explained that CSHB 99(HES)  is simple: it asks school                                                              
districts to  put policies in  place to address  non-violent means                                                              
of  resolving  conflicts.  The  problem   of  school  violence  is                                                              
nationwide.   Alaska   schools  have   experienced   a   shooting,                                                              
stabbings,  baseball bat  fights and  other violent  acts.   These                                                              
acts  are  not  only  occurring  in  urban  areas.  She  has  done                                                              
extensive research  on non-violent resolution policies  in schools                                                              
and there is no  question that they make a difference.   HB 99 has                                                              
the  support of  school  districts, NEA-Ak,  and  the Division  of                                                              
Juvenile Justice.   She noted that  Debbie Ossiander, a  member of                                                              
the Anchorage school  board, has testified in the  past in support                                                              
of CSHB 99(HES). An incidental benefit  of CSHB 99(HES) will be to                                                              
help  districts   that  want   to  develop  full-fledge   conflict                                                              
resolution  programs to  receive grant funding.  She believes  the                                                              
state should  be one  of many  partners needed  to help  eradicate                                                              
school violence.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. BUTTCANE, Division  of Juvenile Justice, DHSS,  stated support                                                              
for  CSHB  99(HES).  He pointed  out  that  in  the course  of  an                                                              
ordinary  year,  the  division  receives  between  800  and  1,000                                                              
misdemeanor assault referrals statewide.   Most of those referrals                                                              
are related  to interpersonal  conflicts  between students  at our                                                              
schools.   The  division believes  that conflict  resolution is  a                                                              
preventative option  that can be implemented to  reduce the number                                                              
of  assaults  and  conflicts  between  students.   The  Office  of                                                              
Juvenile Justice  and Delinquency Prevention has  developed such a                                                              
program  and in  its  guide states  that  the  tenets of  conflict                                                              
resolution present  a new model  of interacting with  and thinking                                                              
about  other  people,   one  that  challenges  us   to  go  beyond                                                              
stereotypes, to consider  the other's point of view,  and to reach                                                              
mutually satisfactory  agreements in which  all parties win.   The                                                              
results  of  this approach  for  society  could be  profound.  The                                                              
division  supports the  sponsor's effort  to implement  this as  a                                                              
next step in a direction that will create a better society.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
VICE-CHAIR LEMAN  asked if any of  the five large high  schools in                                                              
Anchorage have a greater amount of conflict than the others.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. BUTTCANE said in his experience,  cycles occur in high schools                                                              
in which  one school may  have high levels  of conflict  one year,                                                              
which  subsides  after staff  implement  various  programs.   Some                                                              
schools do  not seem to have those  problems.  He pointed  out the                                                              
Chugiak High School has implemented  a conflict resolution program                                                              
that is showing tremendous success.  East High School had a number                                                              
of conflicts  a few years  ago but staff  found new ways  to teach                                                              
students  to resolve  conflicts without  using physical  violence.                                                              
The Division of  Juvenile Justice is working with  both middle and                                                              
high  schools  around the  state  but  not  every school  has  the                                                              
interest or resources to participate.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
VICE-CHAIR LEMAN said he asked because  the legislature is looking                                                              
at putting some resources into pilot programs.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DAVIS said  most high schools in Anchorage  have some form                                                              
of conflict  resolution program  in place  and those programs  are                                                              
now being  established in middle  schools.  Wendler  Middle School                                                              
is taking the lead.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. VERN MARSHALL,  NEA-Ak, expressed appreciation  to the sponsor                                                              
for introducing  HB 99.  He noted that  prior to 1996,  NEA-Ak was                                                              
primarily  concerned  about  classroom  discipline.   It  has  now                                                              
absorbed a new  program and budget concept to deal  with the issue                                                              
of making schools  safer.  NEA-Ak has trained  staff and developed                                                              
programs  designed to  work  with teachers  and  support staff  to                                                              
address  the  issue of  making  the  school environment  safe  and                                                              
functional.  NEA-Ak realized  that the  incident in  Bethel was  a                                                              
critical  issue and  it was  the  first entity  to provide  crisis                                                              
counseling.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 01-36, SIDE A                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR. MARSHALL  pointed out that it  is costly to shut  schools down                                                              
because  of bomb  threats that  must  be taken  seriously. We  can                                                              
either pay later or incorporate programs  to deal with non-violent                                                              
resolution of  problems.  NEA-Ak  supports CSHB 99(HES)  and urges                                                              
its passage.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
With no further discussion or questions,  SENATOR DAVIS moved CSHB
(HES)  from committee  with individual  recommendations and  its                                                              
accompanying fiscal  notes. There  being no objection,  the motion                                                              
carried.