Mediation Services
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, Room 2110
Chandra Banks, Ed.M.
Conflict Mediator
617.217.8106
617.349.4945
Since
2007, Mediation services have been provided to employees of Cambridge
Public School District, students, and their families. Mediation is
voluntary. Parties who agree to participate in mediation can leave at
any point that they feel the process is not working for them. It is 100%
confidential unless there is a threat to self or others. Mediation is
non-judgmental, meaning that the mediators work equally for both
parties. It is also self-directed so that the parties themselves are
responsible for working with the mediators to find a solution that works
for them. Mediators are not allowed to give advice. Finally, mediation
is future oriented – focused on establishing a written agreement that
will address how parties will conduct themselves after the mediation is
over.
Each party is interviewed individually before entering into the
process. If there is bullying, harassment, or dating violence involved,
the case will be referred to the appropriate resource to address that
issue. The co-mediation model is to work with 4 people in
the room during the process. When mediation is provided for two adults, a
volunteer from the Harvard Mediation Program co-facilitates with Chandra Banks, the CPS Conflict Mediator.
Since
2006 there have been over 65 adult conflicts referred to
mediation and
since 2007, when the students began mediating conflicts in
the 6-12th
grades there have been well over 330 student conflicts
referred. 135
students have been trained to become mediators and the
program becomes
more popular every year. The number of self referrals from
students
increases yearly in great part due to collaboration with
STARS (Students Teaching & Advocating Respect) program and their
highlighting the mediation program during their Violence Prevention Week
Assembly.
Some typical comments from students...
"This school would be a hot mess if we didn't have mediation."
"Mediation has definitely stopped a few fights that would have happened."
"I liked that! How can I become a mediator?"
And from an elementary school principal: "I had always tried to
mediate conflicts between staff and parents myself, and I am so happy
to know that we have a person in the district who is really objective
to call on when these problems arise. I do my best, but to be honest,
my role as the principal makes it impossible for me to be seen as
objective. Having a professional Mediator available to talk to people
who need to work effectively together helps me provide a better service
to staff and families."