. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .
Excerpts from September and August News Roundups by Restorativeworks.net
Detroit Public Schools says crime reports down 29% due to restorative practices. The article notes: “This year, restorative practices training will cover two new areas: trauma and grief counseling to help students dealing with death and other hardships, and ‘conferencing training’ to assist students’ transition back into school after a suspension or expulsion.”
“NAACP (Chattanooga) seeks alternative discipline methods for schools.” This TV news video includes footage from a recent professional development event and a brief interview with IIRP Instructor Steve Korr. . .
During a discussion circle in a Chicago school, students learn empathy when they discover they each have had first-hand exposure to gun violence and one classmate had a gun pointed at her head.
The International Bullying Prevention Association will hold its annual conference Reaching New Heights in Bullying Prevention through Empathy and Kindness in Denver, CO, November 8-10 and will feature a pre-conference workshop on restorative practices with IIRP Lecturer Elizabeth Smull.
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Restorative justice, What does it look like in practice?
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The American Federation of Teachers — one of the nation’s largest unions — takes on the issue of racial justice using restorative practices. . .
A new report by The Advancement Project, the Alliance for Quality Education, Citizen Action of New York and the Public Policy and Education Fund reveals that “Buffalo, NY, Schools’ new code of conduct results in more days in school, fewer suspensions.” . .
Restorative practices are being used in more and more schools throughout the U.S. Here are a few examples that came to our attention this month:
San Diego, CA (cuts suspensions by 60%)
Hamilton, OH
Waco, TX
Rochester, NY
Beloit, WI (PBIS program to incorporate restorative practices)
Santa Ana, CA
Jefferson Parish, LA (prompted by employees and complaints by the Southern Poverty Law Center)
Springdale, AK
The State of Illinois (Governor signs sweeping school discipline bill championed by students)