How to Prevent Youth Violence in a Multicultural Society
Youth violence is a show of aggression and can manifest as verbal or physical attacks. Youngsters in a multicultural setting may resort to violence in order to avoid alienation from their mainstream culture.
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The Fear Factor
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According to Gary Grobman in his instructional guide "The Holocaust- A Guide for Teachers," cross-cultural awareness among youth can be hindered by cultural fear. Fear of the unknown, such as foreign languages, exotic traditions or even the unfamiliar smells of another kid's lunch, could trigger the building of a protective barrier, ultimately expressed in the form of violence. In a young mind, a violent attack is fantasized as the primal instinct of a warrior, guarding himself from those who are "different" and possibly threatening.
Educate Educators
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"A World of Difference," an educational program offered by the Anti-Defamation League, provides tools to educators to fight discrimination through anti-bias training to raise awareness in their classrooms about the advantages of cultural differences in our society. Building all-inclusive classrooms could soon be translated into a more tolerant society, where differences no longer pose a threat, but rather promote cultural enrichment.
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Lead by Example
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Project PRIDE (Peace, Respect, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity), implemented in the New Jersey school districts, strives to include the community as a whole in preventing youth violence in a multicultural society. Parents must exemplify how to eradicate ignorance of foreign cultures by educating themselves and their children. Introducing new foods, languages and diverse literary material will result in a more interactive, understanding and tolerant society, where violence will not be used to impose a specific culture.
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