This article reports the racial tensions in Jena, Louisiana. On Aug. 31, 2006, school leaders in Jena, Louisiana, arrived to find two nooses hanging from an oak tree on the campus of Jena High School. The events since that incident--including the beating of a white student and resulting criminal charges against six black schoolmates that have drawn international attention--offer tough lessons for principals and other administrators who must grapple with racial tensions in their schools. For one, principals and teachers can head off such incidents by knowing the sources of conflict and acting to defuse them, experts on race relations say. But when prevention fails, for whatever reason, school leaders should treat such matters seriously, condemn any offensive act, and mete out fair punishment. Communication with students, parents, and the community is crucial to keeping the situation from worsening, and administrators may need to draw on outside mediators for help.