All organizations have conflict.  In our schools, we can’t expect to be different.  We can respond to conflict with choices that lead to destructive outcomes – the escalating “battles” that lead to hurt and unsafe feelings, or the suppressed frustration that eats away at teachers’, parents’, students’ or school administrators’ comfort.  We can also respond to conflict in a manner that leads to constructive outcomes.

 Most of us would like a constructive resolution to conflict.  Often, we do not know how to achieve such a resolution, and so we rule out the possibility.