In a bold move towards fostering safer school environments and reducing juvenile violence, Orlando State Representative LaVon Bracy Davis, a Democrat, introduced House Bill 857, the “Youth Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Program.”
Florida Democrats say the “groundbreaking” legislation would establish a visionary pilot program for the 2025-2026 school year. The program, strategically targeting middle and high schools with elevated rates of juvenile delinquency, is designed to equip Florida’s youth with essential conflict resolution skills.
“This initiative is a crucial step towards creating a safer and more inclusive learning environment for our youth,” said Democratic Rep. Bracy Davis. “By investing in conflict resolution skills, we empower our students to build a foundation for peaceful coexistence, academic excellence, and lifelong success. This pilot program is about reducing violence, but it’s also about shaping the future leaders of our community who will carry these invaluable skills into adulthood, fostering cultures of understanding and collaboration- not gun violence.”
“Reaching children when they’re young is critical in shaping the adults they will become,” said West Palm Beach State Senator Bobby Powell, also a Democrat, who is sponsoring the bill, SB 786, in the Florida Senate. “This pilot program holds the promise of showing them that there are other, non-destructive ways to resolve differences so that everyone benefits.”
Under HB 857/SB 786, five schools, preferably with a high rate of juvenile violence, would be selected by the Commissioner of Education as participants in this unique pilot program.
The legislation has been filed for the 2024 Florida legislative session, and if successful, the bill will become effective on July 1st of this year.
