During recess a conflict occurred between two fourth graders. A peer attempted to mediate unsuccessfully. Frustrated, the student protested, "[Teachers] never listen to us!" The student felt unheard and sought to play a more active role in conflict resolution. This article explores the use of literature to facilitate restorative…

A deeper understanding of how slavery and colonialism fundamentally shaped the system of higher education in the United States has led colleges and universities to reexamine their histories and acknowledge harms committed and the need for repair. Campuses are experimenting with how to address racial justice and healing for faculty, staff, and…

This dissertation explores the perceptions of administrators, teachers, and other school personnel regarding the effectiveness of restorative practices in addressing disciplinary infractions within school settings. Grounded in a phenological design approach, the study investigates lived experiences to understand how individuals perceive and engage…

Racial disparities are consistently present in the office discipline referral data for schools. Beginning in primary grades, African-American students are frequently punished more severely and more often than their peers who display similar behavior. Nationally, during the 2017-1018 school year, over two million K-12 public school students were…

Research suggests support for harsher sanctions for wrongdoers increase in association with the perceived severity of the harm caused. To date, however, research has focused mostly on retributive modes of punishment and has less often addressed restorative sanctions. Furthermore, research has documented racial disparities in conduct sanctioning,…

Indigenous communities at ground zero for extractive industry, industrial pollution, and climate change battle extant development agendas under coloniality that drive cycles of consumption. In this scheme bolstered by neoliberal policies, stewarding biocultural diversity is a clarion call and heavy responsibility for Indigenous community members…

Regenerative and restorative pedagogy refers to a set of methods and knowledge aimed at regenerating ourselves, regenerating others, and repairing the past and present with a view to human, ecological, and planetary sustainability. It aims to reduce the processes of destructing the self, other humans, and non-humans. The main role of this…

This qualitative case study, utilizing interviews and observations, investigated the perception, use, training, and application of Restorative Justice interventions by secondary school Deans of Students. Investigation revealed that although the participating Deans of Students were fully trained in Restorative Justice practices, they were not…

As the nation reckons with the role that the over-expansion of zero-tolerance discipline policies has played in the disproportionate disciplining of Black girls and Black children as a whole, restorative justice (RJ) has taken center stage in the quest for change. This paper explores the tensions that arise when moving from restorative justice…

Adolescence is a remarkable developmental period where figuring out who you are can feel essential. Relationships and sense of self are at the forefront during this period, as establishing a sense of connection can lead to positive social experiences that contribute to a myriad of benefits, ultimately facilitating positive life outcomes. School is…

This paper uses critical race theory to analyze several case studies focused on the experiences of two restorative justice coordinators (RJCs), both Black women and how they understood and responded to perceived racial injustices in urban schools with white leadership. These schools were attempting to address unequal disciplinary practices toward…

This article posits that advancing equity is necessary but not sufficient for creating a more just world: we need belonging. Using a lens of racial justice to define the concept of belonging, the author considers how to practice cultivating it within the context of an aquarium's community-based engagement. Through case studies framed by belonging…

The first years of teaching can be often some of the most stressful in an educator's career. "Reality shock" is a phase new teachers go through when they transition from learning to being responsible for teaching in their own classrooms (Dicke et al., 2015). It often results in a "collapse of ideals or expectations developed during…

This dissertation investigates the influence of interventions on the behavior outcomes of alternative education students in the Midwest United States, addressing the gap in literature regarding the implementation of School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) in alternative education settings. Grounded in B.F. Skinner's…

This is the second story in a series of success stories focused on restorative justice work. The work featured in these stories seeks to acknowledge the impact of harmful practices and creates opportunities to heal that harm between those who enacted it and those impacted by it to transform the community. This report discusses Restorative Justice…