SF Board of Education Votes to Expand Restorative Justice

San Francisco,CA---The San Francisco Board of Education voted unanimously last night(October 13, 2009) in support of creating a comprehensive school climate and restorative justice framework and implementation plan.

In the resolution authored by Commissioners Jane Kim, Sandra Fewer and Kim-Shree Maufas, the school board members wrote that they are “committed to creating and supporting a ‘culture shift’ in the way the district systematically develops solutions to the student discipline challenges in our schools and to focusing on student strengths and abilities.”

Of primary concern to the Board of Education is the amount of suspensions and expulsions which disproportionately affect African-American, Latino and Pacific Islander students thereby decreasing their opportunities to learn.

“There is a direct correlation between how much time a student is in class and their academic achievement,” said Board President Maufas.  “Sometimes we are too quick to suspend a child without taking the time to explore other means of corrective action, which may in fact result in changing a child’s behavior for the better in the long term.”

The school district would still follow the guidelines outlined in the California Education Code which mandates immediate suspension and expulsion referrals for specific offenses, but this resolution calls for more alternatives to suspension, including Peer Courts, one of several restorative justice practices.

According to the National Youth Court Center, restorative justice focuses on repairing harm and rebuilding relationships through a process that involves victims, offenders and the community in an active and respectful way.

The district currently has several practices underway that are yielding decreases in suspensions in many of the schools where they are located.  These include Tribes, and Safe Passages, and a myriad of other research based approaches that support youth leadership, positive peer relationships and build off of youth assets.

Associate Superintendent Trish Bascom, who oversees student support services in the district, is excited that SFUSD is increasing efforts to build a positive school climate.

“Our new destination is schools where all children feel welcome, supported, challenged and respected as the unique individuals they are.”