by Andy Pal, ’26

On February 6, 2025, I was lucky enough to attend Young Plato, the third event from the Compass Center’s A New View Film Series this school year, with my parents and partner. Following Dr. Deb Saxon’s opening remarks, Political Science Professor Dr. Siobhán McEvoy-Levy introduced the documentary. It tells the story of headmaster Kevin McArevey who teaches his students new ways of de-escalating tension at Holy Cross Primary School in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Dr. McEvoy-Levy has visited this school and attested to McArevey’s mission to enable children’s growth while tackling segregation and toxic masculinity.

In the film, we witness a violent incident in 2001, where Protestants wielded weapons at Catholic families and fought with police in an attempt to stop children from attending Catholic schools. As a result, a peace wall was built to separate the two groups. These tensions remain twenty years later. Near the beginning of the film, dissident Republicans opposed to the peace process in Northern Ireland place a bomb near Holy Cross, which could have killed hundreds of kids if they did not evacuate. Local fatal shootings are also regular occurences, with one taking place at a park in front of children.

This strife in the school and local community impacts the students’ behavior. One boy threatens to stab McArevey, while others strike a teacher and lash out over inner turmoil. As a whole, the students kick, slap, and curse at one another. Some adults encourage retaliation and focus on punishment without telling children why their actions were wrong. However, McArevey employs a different strategy. He challenges the beliefs of the boys’ parents, highlighting that fighting back makes oneself as hateful as the person who initiated it. He does not oversimplify his lessons, teaching the principles of ancient philosophers like Aristotle and Seneca and incorporating motivational quotes from Elvis and Pelé. When his students misbehave, he sits down with them and emphasizes that they are capable of managing their emotions more effectively.

We observe as the boys gradually become skilled at dealing with anxiety and disagreements. Despite their parents saying otherwise, they learn that crying and apologizing are normal parts of handling stressful situations. Providing this wisdom to kids is essential, especially in this community where suicide and drug abuse are widespread issues, even for children. Sadly, many of these kids choose to take their own lives due to their parents’ toxic masculine ideals and anonymous online users urging them to do so. After a boy named Declan passes away, McArevey returns to the school and stresses that they must continue working to make their neighborhood a more supportive and loving place.

One boy declares in response, “Stop fighting, and peace.” Unfortunately, resolving hatred and violence is not that easy. However, we must work to instill this value in children from a young age. At a time where hatred is only becoming more rampant, it is vital to teach up-and-coming generations the right strategies for defusing conflict rather than perpetuating it.