Breaking the cycle of violence in schools

Dan Heidt knows more about violence than he ever wanted to know.
After more than 35 years as a bodyguard to the rich and famous, he has been assaulted, stabbed twice, and intervened on several occasions on behalf of his well-heeled clients.
All that experience taught him how to recognize potential trouble—and avoid it.
But today, his biggest concern and crusade is about violence in schools and the workplace. But in order to prevent it, you first must identify the cause. That, said Heidt, is well documented.
“It’s a major concern, whether in Canada or the States,” he remarked during a visit to the area last week. “Wherever you see these incidents, bullying seems to be a factor.”
The Iowa-born Heidt spent many years protecting people from random and unpredictable acts of violence. He has worked with such notables as Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Dolly Parton, Bob Hope, Eric Clapton, and literally dozens of famous people from the entertainment and sports industries.
An expert in nearly a dozen forms of martial arts and the holder of a ninth dan in Goju-Ryu, Heidt is eminently qualified to take care of other people. But on April 10-11, he was at the Couchiching Bingo Hall to address a conference on youth issues.
The seminar—jointly sponsored by the Rainy River Future Development Corp., Pwi-Di-Goo-Zing Ne-Yaa-Zhing Advisory Services, and Couchiching First Nation—was aimed at young people aged 14-19 from district schools.
Now 55, Heidt sees his new calling as far more important, though he admitted he initially had doubts about his ability to handle his new role as advisor and counsellor to a whole new generation.
But several tragic events over the last five years changed all that.
“All you have to do is walk through one school shooting and it changes your life,” he claimed.
Since then, Heidt has attended the last 29 school shootings in Canada and the U.S. He sees a disturbing pattern to all of them—and it’s that pattern he’s trying to break.
“Several federal agencies [in the United States] asked me to investigate workplace and school shootings,” he explained.
He now presents his workshop, called “Preventive Measures,” to businesses and government agencies throughout North America and beyond. Included in his client list are the U.S. Department of Defence, the U.S. Postal Service, the National Organization for Victim Assistance, the U.S.A.F., the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the United States Marshals Service.
Heidt teaches students, teachers, and parents how to recognize potential violence, and how to defuse it through intervention techniques and preventative measures.
He shows parents and the community how to use effective discipline and set healthy examples. He shows students how to resolve conflicts in a non-violent manner—and avoid them by taking personal responsibility for one’s actions and making the right choices.
Throughout it all, there is one constant theme. “There’s no question about it. Violence is linked to bullying and teasing,” Heidt stressed.
“Columbine [high school in Colorado] was the real turning point for me. It made me realize there has been a real shift in attitudes and values,” he said.
“Now, it seems it’s almost a positive character trait to disrespect someone.”
Heidt tries to change those attitudes and values by teaching youth about choices and consequences. He delivers his message in an open, often humorous way that seems to put his audience at ease.
But it wasn’t always easy for Heidt. As the father of a college-aged daughter, he was comfortable around young people, but this was different.
At first, Heidt felt uncomfortable and unqualified to tackle this new concern, but some gentle arm-twisting from some of the friends he made as a bodyguard convinced him otherwise.
“My biggest concern was I’m just not a public speaker,” he admitted. “But I remember when Dale Earnhardt took me aside and said, ‘Look, just speak from the heart and they’ll get it.’”
And now, they do get it. Heidt said all his doubts have evaporated as time and again he receives letters from the thousands of students to whom he has spoken on his transcontinental crusade.
“It makes me feel so good when students come up to me after a lecture and thank me.”
Heidt currently lives in Idaho.