Attorney General Janet Reno insisted she wasn't stealing Sen. Barbara Mikulski's boyfriend. She was just lending him a dollar.

Mikulski was unswayed. "I told you to leave me alone and leave my man alone!" she yelled.It wasn't a real argument, of course. It was an example of a peer mediation program that's part of Baltimore's Safe Schools effort.

Mikulski and Reno agreed to take part Thursday while visiting Robert Poole Middle School.

Their mock dispute was refereed by two students trained to resolve arguments among their peers.

View Comments

The ground rules were simple: no arguing, no name calling.

Within minutes, what could have been a nasty brawl ended with a high five and an agreement to make up.

"The school should be a home away from home," Mikulski said.

"For those who have no home, school should be a sanctuary."

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.