Essay - Communication - Conflict Communications and Conflict Resolution Factual Circumstances: Jessica...

Communication - Conflict

***** AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Factual Circumstances:

Jessica is a 39 ye*****r-old divorced mother with full custodial custody of her 16 year-old daughter Julia, a high school junior. ***** has refused to talk ***** her ***** for two days, since being told that she would not be allowed to violate her school's official dress code for class trips when ***** visits New York City with her class the following week. Julia's friends have decided to exploit a semantic loophole in the school policy, which was circulated ***** conjunction with the parental permission *****ms. The *****'s Class Trip Dress Code Policy reads as follows: "Students shall arrive at their scheduled departure are***** wearing shoes, ***** slacks, and a button-down dress shirt (boys) ***** shoes, dress slacks, dresses, or skirts that meet the same minimum length specified ********** for ***** and skirts on school grounds, and ***** *****s or blouses. ***** are specifically prohibited from boarding departure vehicles wearing sneakers, work boots, jeans, or t-shirts. Students who arrive at the departure areas in violation of this dress code will ***** be permitted to board ***** will be transp*****ted to ***** to serve mandatory in-class suspension instead of participating in the class trip."

Emphasis added]

Julia and ***** ***** had planned to "arrive at the scheduled departure area wearing" appropriate clothes that comply with the dress code, to photograph *****mselves in front of the buses to prove that they complied with the dress *****, ***** then to change ********** their sneakers, jeans, and t-shirts in the lavatories of their *****. Julia has already received the maximum number of informal reprimands for behavior issues and has been warned that any subsequent disciplinary ***** ***** trigger a m*****ndatory suspension and a corresponding entry in her perm*****nent student record. ***** is an above average ***** and a talented musician who could qualify ***** various financial aid college scholarships which would help Jessica afford Julia's college education tremendously. Underlying Issues, Objectives, and Concerns:

Julia is angry that her mother is disallowing her participation in what she believes is a clever but harmless ********** of the literal meaning of the ***** code policy; she believes that ***** ***** of her dressed appropriately at the designated departure area will prevent any disciplinary action against her. During her arguments ***** ***** *****, Julia has angrily expressed ***** following statements:

It's not fair; all my friends are doing it."

I'm not even breaking ***** rules."

You're supposed to let me express *****self."

********** nothing wrong w*****h jeans; it's not like we're ***** gangster stuff or short skirts or anything like that. Everything we're wearing is what we're ***** to wear in school all the time."

You just don't understand."

How come you get to do whatever you want but I don't"

***** is concerned that the students ***** participate will ***** be protected by the literal interpretation of the dress code policy and ***** Julia is risking a suspension and a disciplinary ***** entry in her permanent school record