Colman McCarthy

Courses in peace education can reduce violence in schools, asserts Colman McCarthy in the following viewpoint. He maintains that youths are not naturally wild but that they use violence to solve conflicts because they have not been taught nonviolent methods. Learning nonviolent conflict resolution is just as important as learning math and science, McCarthy contends. He also claims that society’s attitudes and responses toward violence need to change in order for peace education to succeed. McCarthy is a syndicated columnist.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Why did Walter Annenberg focus on youth violence, as quoted by the author"

2. According to McCarthy, how many of the high school students he spoke to learned peacemaking in grade school"

3. What measures directed toward reducing youth violence does McCarthy criticize"

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