Purpose: Studies suggest that out-of-school suspensions and expulsions rarely improve student outcomes or perceptions of school safety. At the same time, there is consistent evidence of disparities by race, class, and ability in the implementation of "zero tolerance" discipline policies. Stakeholders across the country have leveraged…

Restorative practices statistically replicate racial inequality in discipline, even while reducing overall school suspension rates and improving school climate. To understand why, the researcher conducted a year-long, multi-case ethnography examining restorative practices at three public secondary small schools in New York City. All three school…