School violence conference brings professionals, educators together

Dr. Irvin Howard talks with Fresno State's Dr. Berta Gonzalez and Cristina Guajardo, chair of the Mexico City Dept. of Social Services (far right).

by Tom Uribes

Approximately 400 individuals converged on campus Feb. 11 for the Fifth Annual Interprofessional Collaboration Conference -- "Violence in Our Families, Schools and Communities: Prevention and Intervention."

For many participants, the conference was the beginning of dialogue that addressed possible solutions to increased school violence.

Dr. Paul Shaker, dean of the School of Education and Human Development, said the convening of various disciplines was the start of an ongoing dialogue.

"I think it was an extraordinary event tied into one of the most urgent issues of the day in America, that is, school violence," said Shaker. "It was inspirational to see how many human service professionals and educators wanted to attend and become more effective at dealing with this trauma."

The overall assessment was for a repeat performance, said Dr. Berta Gonzalez, associate dean of education. She coordinated the event along with a 21-member interdisciplinary faculty team that developed a series of courses leading to an Advanced Certificate in the Interprofessional Collaboration Program.

The one-day conference, attended by 389 registrants, featured Dr. Pamela L. Riley, executive director of the Center for the Prevention of School Violence in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Riley told the educators, law enforcement officers, mental health workers and former gang members who attended that students need to be included as part of the solution to school violence.

Dr. Irvin Howard, an education professor at CSU, San Bernardino, who participated in follow-up of the Columbine school shootings, told his workshop participants that conditions in Littleton indicating potential violence there have not changed.

Gonzalez said in the future the school may hold a similar conference over a two to three day period to design action plans for communities, schools and agencies.