Students are constantly being bombarded by violence, sex and debauchery-in television, movies, video games and music. How does that impact their social and emotional well-being? Do these images impact behavior? Does such exposure lead to violence in schools?

Berrien Regional Education Service Agency (Berrien RESA) is offering a special Safe Schools & Healthy Students workshop featuring Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman to answer those questions. The workshop will discuss the threat to students and schools, common factors, and the role of media’s influence in the violence phenomenon. It will also explore programs designed to prevent the impact of violent imagery.

Course objectives include providing an understanding of:

• The magnitude of the problem of violent crime in the United States and worldwide, and the threat to schools.
• The role of the media in enabling the current “virus” of violent crime.
• Immediate measures that can be taken to make schools safer.
• Key resources available to decrease violence and bullying and provide and increase in test scores.

Lt. Colonel Grossman in an internationally recognized scholar, author, soldier and speaker who is one of the world’s foremost experts in the field of human aggression and the roots of violence and violent crime. He is the author of the Pulitzer nominated book, “On Killing” and co-author of the internationally acclaimed book, “Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill: A Call to Action Against TV, Movie and Video Game Violence.” Grossman is also a key trainer of school and mental health professionals and safety officers. To learn more about Grossman, visit www.killology.com.

Media interested in attending the event should contact Janie Colton, Health and Safe & Drug Free Schools Consultant at Janie.colton@berrienresa.org.

The workshop will be held on Friday, February 19, 2010 beginning at 8:30 am at Berrien RESA.