Community Relations Service
U.S. Department of JusticeCRS Programs For Managing School Multicultural Conflict
A multicultural learning environment has become the norm in many school districts and communities throughout the United States. The diversity found in these settings offers many opportunities for people to learn more about one another. Yet too often schools are ill prepared to adjust to this diversity positively.
What kinds of conflicts do you have at your school or school district?
- Do students or gangs stake out turf on school grounds?
- Are there racial problems at school dances and sporting events?
- Do students feel that they are treated differently because of their race or ethnicity?
- Do minority parents complain that their children are not being treated sensitively by teachers?
- Is there racist graffiti in the restrooms or in other places on campus?
- Are non-students loitering outside the school during school hours?
- Are there racial fights before, during, or after school?
CRS has several racial/ethnic conflict prevention and management programs for schools or school districts:
- Conflict Resolution Services: CRS resolves community conflicts between students, parents, organizations, school personnel, police and school security. CRS can also help address community racial concerns following a hate incident.
- Student Conflict Resolution Teams: CRS provides training for student mediators and facilitates the establishment of student response teams.
- Student Problem Identifying and Resolving Issues Together (SPIRIT) Program: CRS provides training for two-day student-focused problem-solving sessions for resolving conflict in multicultural schools and school districts. This program includes students, school administrators, school security, and local law enforcement.
- School/Community Based Program: CRS facilitates meetings of students, school officials, police, parents, and community leaders to identify and prioritize problems, and to develop long term plans to resolve these problems.
- Conflict Management and Cultural Awareness Training For Staff: CRS provides training for administrators, faculty, security personnel, building staff, and bus drivers in racial conflict contingency planning and management of multicultural situations.
- Management of School Disruption and Violence: CRS provides training on best practices for restoring control of the learning environment, modifying the curriculum for a multicultural environment, addressing cultural sensitivity issues, increasing communication between the school and the community, improving police-school relations, and developing a youth advocacy program.
CRS OFFICES
Community Relations Service
600 E Street, NW, Suite 6000
Washington, D.C. 20530
202/305-2935
202/305-3009 (FAX)
Regional Offices
New England Regional Office
(ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI)
Community Relations Service
408 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 222
Boston, MA 02110
617/424-5715
617/424-5727 (FAX)
Northeast Regional Office
(NY, NJ, VI, PR)
Community Relations Service
26 Federal Plaza, Suite 36-118
New York, NY 10278
212/264-0700
212/264-2143 (FAX)Mid-Atlantic Regional Office
( DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV)
Community Relations Service
2nd and Chestnut Streets, Suite 208
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215/597-2344
215/597-9148 (FAX)Southeast Regional Office
(AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN)
Community Relations Service
75 Piedmont Ave, NE, Suite 900
Atlanta, GA 30303
404/331-6883
404/331-4471 (FAX)Midwest Regional Office
(IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)
Community Relations Service
55 W. Monroe Street, Suite 420
Chicago. IL 60603
312/353-4391
312/353-4390 (FAX)Southwest Regional Office
(AR, LA, NM, OK, TX)
Community Relations Service
1420 W. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 250
Dallas, TX 75247
214/655-8175
214/655-8184 (FAX)Central Regional Office
(IA, KS, MO, NE)
Community Relations Service
1100 Main Street, Suite 320
Kansas City, MO 64105-2112
816/426-7434
816/426-7441 (FAX)Rocky Mountain Regional Office
(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY)
Community Relations Service
1244 Speer Blvd., Suite 650
Denver, CO 80204-3584
303/844-2973
303/844-2907 (FAX)
Western Regional Office
(AZ, CA, GU, HI, NV)
Community Relations Service
888 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 1880
Los Angeles, CA 90017
213/894-2941
213/894-2880 (FAX)Northwest Regional Office
(AK, ID, OR, WA)
Community Relations Service
915 Second Avenue, Suite 1808
Seattle, WA 98174
206/220-6700
206/220-6706 (FAX)Field Offices
Community Relations Service
51 SW First Ave, Suite 624
Miami, FL 33130
305/536-5206
305/536-6778 (FAX)Community Relations Service
211 W. Fort Street, Suite 1404
Detroit, MI 48226
313/226-4010
313/226-2568 (FAX)Community Relations Service
515 Rusk Avenue, Suite 12605
Houston, TX 77002
713/718-4861
713/718-4862 (FAX)Community Relations Service
120 Howard Street, Suite 790
San Francisco, CA 94105
415/744-6565
415/744-6590 (FAX)CRS Customer
Service StandardsOur goal is to provide
sensitive and effective
conflict prevention and
resolution services. CRS
will meet the following
standards: We will clearly explain the
process that CRS uses to
address racial and ethnic
conflicts and our role in
that process. We will provide
opportunities for all parties
involved to contribute to
and work toward a solution
to the racial or ethnic
conflict. If you are a participant in a
CRS training session or
conference, you will receive
timely and useful information
and materials that will assist
you in preventing or minimizing
racial and ethnic tensions. We will be prepared to
respond to major racial or
ethnic crisis situations within
24 hours from the time when
your community notifies CRS
or CRS becomes aware of the
crisis. In non-crisis situations,
we will contact you within
three days of when your
community notifies CRS to
discuss your request or
when CRS becomes aware
of the situation.