School board transforms the ‘no tolerance’ disciplinary approach into a restorative justice approach
Regional public school administrators celebrated the restorative justice disciplinary approach as they announced a significant decrease in suspensions each year since its implementation.
Over the past five years, the Keewatin-Patricia District Public School board has transformed the ‘no tolerance’ disciplinary approach to a restorative justice approach. As a result, suspensions have declined every year.
Using a non-punitive series of tactics where administrators and teachers support students rather than taking disciplinary action, suspensions have fallen from 1,850 on behalf of 892 students in 2003-4 to 501 dealing with 330 last year. Based on the accumulated data to date this year, they estimate the number of suspensions will fall below 500 this year for the first time this decade.
“We were ahead of our time,” reflected Al Wray, the Safe and Supportive Schools coordinator. “Our findings were that (suspensions) were effective for one-time offenders but with repeat offenders – unless you dealt with the root causes – you weren’t going to change things.”
First published 16 Feb 2009
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