UNited for safe schools

Harnessing the Power of Peer Influence to Change School Culture

Every time a student enters their school, goes to a party, or logs on to Facebook, they look to their peers for help in defining what is socially ‘normal’ and acceptable—how they should behave, what their peers would consider cool, and what they should be doing to be a part of the pack.

The desire to fit in may actually lead them to behaviors that contribute to racism, bullying, harassment, and group apathy—factors that have contributed to an evolution of increasingly hostile school climates where kids feel unsafe, uncertain and unwelcome.

Inspired by the impact that colleges and universities have experienced promoting positive health and behaviors using the social norms approach, we will collaborate with local schools to implement school-specific social norms projects through Students United for Safe Schools (SUSS), starting in the Winter 2020.

Each student-led SUSS team (under the guidance of an advisor) will decide what positive and consistent social norming projects they want to implement in their respective school communities with the goals of reducing incidents of racism, bullying and cyber-bullying, and naturally changing their school culture to a place where all students feel a sense of respect, safety, and belonging.