I wondered how the No message would resonate with my audience in Duluth this past Wednesday. I stood there facing the members of the Juvenile Officers’ Association. These are the police officers who work with our youth, mainly in schools. They were representing our larger cities and school districts to the small towns and communities across Minnesota. The dedication of these women and men was overwhelming. So was their concern. 

These officers, from rural communities, small towns and cities, see student behavior problems growing more serious and more frequent each year. Law enforcement can only do so much in our schools. We can keep adding metal detectors and police officers – but this is not the solution. That is why these officers reacted so positively to the message of No. But even more welcomed was the message that so many parents and teachers across Minnesota are reading the book, going to workshops, and starting the conversations about how we are going to teach our young people the character traits they need to be successful. For these officers, in particular, teaching kids to say no to themselves – to manage their own behavior is a major part of the solution.