In October of 1999, Voices Against Violence: A Congressional Teen Conference brought together over 400 bright, concerned American teenagers to discuss solutions to the national crisis of violence in our schools.

Laura DeAngelis, a senior at the Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment in Fairfield, Iowa, attended the Washington, D.C. conference at the invitation of Iowa Congressional Representative Leonard Boswell.

While the students met to discuss their views on the topic of school violence, the chaperones attended meetings of their own. Lynn Kaplan, Laura’s chaperone, came to the conference as an observer, but ended up with an unexpected speaking part. Here is Lynn’s story:

During the conference, the adults all shared a heartfelt desire to find a solution for our kids, for our communities. Representatives of Congress earnestly asked us, "What can we do to help you? Is it laws? Money? What is it that you need?"

We all agreed that money and laws were only a part of the answer, but after a day and a half of repeating the problem, the moderator said, "Someone must have a solution!"

And then it happened. I felt this bubbling up inside me. I thought, I’m going to have to speak to these people. I had come to listen, not to talk. But I knew a solution and I felt I couldn’t sit quietly any longer.

I shyly stood up and said, "In the community where I live we have something that is really working and nourishing our children." Then I gathered my courage and explained about the Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment— how they successfully implemented the twice-daily practice of the TM technique.

Someone pointed out that our school is in a quiet rural town, so it would be natural to have fewer problems.

I happened to have Enlightenment magazine in my hand, so I read the interview with Dr. George Rutherford, the administrator of an inner-city school in Washington, D.C. that had great results with the TM program. This really got their attention. When I sat down, they clapped and clapped and clapped. It went on for many minutes. It was clear that this solution made sense to a lot of people.

After the meeting people gathered around to ask for more information. It was lucky I had some literature in my bag. After the final meeting of the conference, one man and I were the last people left in the room. For the second time, I felt a strong urge to speak. I went up to this man and showed him the End School Violence Now brochure—the one with the pictures of the brains. I told him, "The problem is really based on this level, the level of the individual physiology. All the laws and all the words are not going to change damaged brains. We have to do something to get to the root of the problem."

He became very interested. We introduced ourselves, and it turned out he was Congressman Frost, the man President Clinton appointed to be the chairman of the bipartisan committee on teen violence formed after the Columbine incident. He was excited to find out about this simple solution to this serious problem.

I feel the doors are open now. We have the solution to help all our children and the opportunity to share it with everyone.

Scott Peterson is a staff member of Enlightenment magazine.

Would you like to print this article? Click here for printer formatted text

Click here for more information about the student organization "End School Violence Now"