At Pa. School, Teens Build Empathy By Confiding In A Crowd

by Kevin McCorry, WHYY / All Things Considered

Imagine this: a high school assembly where students share their deepest, most painful secrets — and instead of judgment from their peers, they get applause.

That’s the approach Philadelphia’s Freire Charter School has taken in its effort to prevent the next violent outburst or the next tragedy on campus. Instead of turning to guards or metal detectors, the school is making empathy part of its curriculum.