Sullivan County, Tenn.’s initiative to improve school climate began in 2003 after the U.S. Justice Department mandated the school district take steps to address bullying and harassment following a lawsuit over a peer-to-peer racial incident that originated at one of the district’s high schools. But improvements made through the district’s Respect and Leadership Initiative were so striking in some schools that district leaders and the Sullivan County Board of Education continued to support the initiative—both financially and through leadership—even after the mandate was lifted.

via The EDifier – Center for Public Education.