Apology lite: Truths, doubts, and reconciliations in the Senate’s guarded apology for slavery

from Kaimipono David Wenger's article in Connecticut Law Review CONNections:

The United States Senate formally apologized for slavery on June 18, 2009. This followed an apology made nearly a year earlier, on July 29, 2008, by the House of Representatives.  Unlike the House apology, the Senate apology contains additional limiting language, specifically stating that it cannot be used as a ground for monetary compensation. The apology is nearly nine hundred words, with a preamble which goes into some detail about the wrongness of slavery, admitting that slaves were “brutalized, humiliated, [and] dehumanized.” It then states:

(1) APOLOGY FOR THE ENSLAVEMENT AND SEGREGATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.—The Congress . . . apologizes to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow laws . . . .

(2) DISCLAIMER.—Nothing in this resolution—
(A) authorizes or supports any claim against the United States; or
(B) serves as a settlement of any claim against the United States.

Nov 25, 2009 National Reconciliation, Country:USA, Apology, Offender

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Implementing restorative justice: A guide for schools

Recently, the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority released the guide Implementing Restorative Justice: A guide for  Schools as part of a series of resources created to help with the statewide implementation of restorative justice for working with young offenders. Developed with assistance from juvenile justice practitioners and school personnel,  it provides guidance for implementing policy and practice in both elementary and secondary schools. The goals of the guide include:

• Introduce to school personnel the concepts of restorative justice and restorative discipline.
  
• Offer new tools that can reduce the need for school exclusion and juvenile justice system involvement in school misconduct.
  
• Offer ways to enhance the school environment to prevent conflict and restore relationships after conflict arises.

Nov 12, 2009 School, Practice, Guidelines, Manual, Guideline, Region: North America and Caribbean, Policy, Standards, Teacher, Country:USA

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