The Sonoma State University campus community plans to commemorate the first anniversary of the Virginia Tech tragedy on Wednesday, April 16 in Schulz 3001 from noon to 2:30 p.m. at a forum called "When Silence Explodes."
The purpose of the forum, co-sponsored by the English Department and the Hutchins Dialogue Center, is to "gain a deeper understanding of the causes and early warning signs of school violence and, above all, to gain strategies for preventing it," says English Professor Noelle Oxendhandler.
The centerpiece of the event will be a panel featuring Ben Frymer, Professor of Sociology at Hutchins, who specializes in the study of school violence and has written a book about Columbine. Also appearing with him will be Lisa Wyatt, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services; Sonia Beck, a Santa Rosa psychologist who has spent decades working with juvenile delinquents; Ada Jaarmsa of the Philosophy Department and others.
The event also includes music, poetry and the announcement of the "Question Mark Kid" writing contest winners. The English Department and Hutchins Dialogue Center sponsored the writing contest in which students could explore - in a creative and non-violent way - their own experiences of feeling silenced, unseen, a question mark unto themselves or others. Cash prizes range from $50 to $100, and the winning entries will be published in the Literary Magazine, Zephyr.
For further information, contact Noelle Oxenhandler at (707) 664-2506.
