Imagine that you receive the following email (or letter or phone message) from a Christian friend.

I need your advice on a difficult situation with one of the students in my classroom. Jasmine is a bright ten-year old, but she has had difficulty paying attention and getting along with other students. She recently moved to town with her family from another state. Her mother is a single mom with three children. Jasmine gets mostly C's and occasional D's, and her work is well below what she is capable of. I have met twice with her mother, Patty, who is defensive about Jasmine and accuses me of being too petty and expecting too much of her daughter. I think Patty either doesn't understand her daughter's capabilities, or she is just too weak-willed to make Jasmine do her work. Our last conversation was pretty tense.

A week ago Jasmine turned in another poor paper, and I made the mistake of correcting her sternly in front of the whole class. This morning I learned from the principal that Jasmine went home that day and told her mother I had humiliated her in front of the whole class. Patty was so angry that she called a school board trustee and voiced a strong complaint about me.

Instead of talking to me to hear my side of the story, the trustee, Paul, decided to "investigate" the complaint by talking to the principal and some other teachers about my work. I sure would have expected more in a Christian school! Paul is a significant financial supporter of the school, and he has frequently insisted that the school's reputation with its parents is its most important tool for promoting the school in the community. And it's not just talk! Two years ago, he convinced the board and the principal to terminate another teacher, who was experiencing conflict with some parents. I am afraid that I may be next on his list. I would certainly appreciate your prayers and advice.

Although you would normally try to talk in person or by phone about such a delicate issue, your schedule won't allow that in this case. So you decide to mail your friend a copy of the Peacemaker Brochure, along with a personal letter explaining how he (or she) might apply the basic principles of peacemaking in this situation. What would you write? (Assume that your friend is the type of person who would appreciate as much detailed advice as you can possibly provide, so suggest specific wording on how to confess, correct, forgive, or negotiate.)

After writing out your own response to your friend, click here to read our sample detailed response.