Education Commons^™

Restorative Practices, Asha Faith Goldberg

Transformations: Research Papers

Research consistently shows that suspensions are ineffective in addressing the root causes for behavior and inequities as students of color, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and students with dis/abilities repeatedly receive high rates of exclusionary punishments for their behaviors. Different schools have implemented Restorative Practices, an alternative discipline policy in response to the troubling data surrounding suspension disparities. This policy encourages students to collaboratively address their behavior and discuss ways that they can restore relationships within their community. Through observations and faculty interviews at an elementary school, salient information emerged on the policies' definitions, implementations, and critiques. The research question …