R ES TORATI V E S C HO O L D I S C I PL I N E
While restorative discipline represents a
tectonic paradigm shift away from punitive
zero-tolerance discipline, schools can strug-
gle with exactly how and where to imple-
ment restorative practices. As a result, the
promises of the restorative approach can
remain elusive.
we became. We still couldn’t see how to de-
velop and implement these practices on a
functional level within the school.” 3
Anne White, Community Development Ad-
ministrator at Waldorf School on the Roar-
ing Fork, identifies four challenges facing
schools as they seek to implement restor-
ative practices. Though White (2017) refers
to a Waldorf school, the issues she raises are
common challenges for any private or pub-
lic K-12 school.
In this article, I’ll explore some common
challenges schools face as they seek to in-
tegrate restorative practices into the school
social fabric. I’ll then offer some solutions
and illustrate how one K-8 school exempli-
fies what’s not only possible, but achievable.
Challenge #1: Schools are not justice sys-
tems and students aren’t criminals.
Four Challenges
When any school pursues a restorative ap-
proach to discipline, they often don’t real-
ize they are inheriting the paradigm and
practices of restorative justice. Restorative
justice was designed as an alternative to
prosecution in the criminal justice system.
Educators and administrators are now real-
izing that restorative justice models are not
quite a fit in K-12 schools. There are reasons
for this.
“We had become familiar with restorative
justice and we instinctively felt it was a
promising approach but we had some con-
cerns. The term ‘justice’ is a heavy word and
still evokes feelings of enforcement. The more
we brought experts in, the more discontent
“
First, restorative justice is fundamentally re-
active vs. proactive. Conventional restorative
justice models (e.g. Peacemaking Circles
and Community Group Conferencing) were
designed for a one-time, after-the-fact en-
counter between those involved in an inci-
dent of crime. They were not designed to
address patterns of behavior, or provide a
continuous engagement on a day-to-day
basis to help students learn about their
The restorative approach
interprets disruptive be-
havior as an opportunity
for deeper engagement
and problem solving with
the student.
”
3. White, Anne (2017). “The Restorative Way at a Waldorf School” Retrieved from https://restorativeway.com/2018/10/the-
restorative-way-at-waldorf/
CSEE Connections
Continues on page 10
Winter 2019
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