The Partners Against Hate Program Activity Guide was designed primarily for parents and educators of elementary school age children; however, much of the material will also be relevant for preschool teachers, youth service professionals, law enforcement officials, and other adults in the community who work and interact with children. This comprehensive resource provides parents, educators and other adults with useful background information on bias-motivated behavior and youth-initiated hate crime, thereby helping them approach these difficult topics with accurate information and increased confidence. In addition, this resource includes tools and strategies to help adults engage in constructive discussions and activities about the causes and effects of prejudice and bias-motivated behavior and to intervene, when needed, with children who engage in such behavior.

The Partners Against Hate Program Activity Guide is based on the underlying philosophy that stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, bias, and hate are part of a broad continuum of behavior and can only be successfully interrupted by providing children, at as young an age as possible, with opportunities to practice prosocial attitudes and behaviors, to learn about themselves and others, and to develop nonviolent responses to conflict. Through this resource, adults are given guidance on ways to provide opportunities for children to engage in creative self-reflection and to explore the diversity around them in open, honest, and creative ways, while learning about the causes and effects of prejudice and bias.

In addition to this Introduction, the Program Activity Guide includes the following sections:

• Background Information -- includes an overview of hate crimes and bias incidents, information about hate on the Internet, and an overview of bullying in schools. Also included in this section are frequently asked questions about hate crimes and hate on the Internet.
• Interacting with Children on Issues of Diversity and Bias -- includes information on how children develop racial and cultural identity and attitudes, the role of parents and educators in helping children resist prejudice and hate-motivated violence, the importance of multicultural literature, and ways to create environments that promote diversity. Frequently asked questions by parents and educators on the topics addressed throughout this Program Activity Guide are also included.
• Proactive Tools and Strategies To Help Children Resist Prejudice and Hate -- includes recommended practices, approaches, and programs to employ in a variety of settings. Of special interest are a number of age-appropriate activities for teachers and other youth service professionals to use as they encourage children to think about and discuss the issues in this Program Activity Guide.
• Guidelines for Intervention and Outreach -- includes frequently asked questions by teachers and administrators about how to respond effectively to bias incidents, bullying, vandalism, and hate crimes when they occur. Also included are tips for working effectively with parents, law enforcement, and other members of the community following such incidents.
• Bibliographies -- includes recommended resources grouped as follows: "Resources for Personal and Professional Development," "Resources for Educators and Youth Service Professionals," "Resources for Parents and Families," and "Recommended Titles for Children." These resources have been carefully selected to help adults continue their own education on issues of diversity, prejudice, and hate-motivated violence and to help them select additional age-appropriate resources to use with the children.