Ann Arbor schools need to move to a restorative justice model of discipline

from the guest column by Joe Summers:

Over the past year, the children of two sets of friends have gotten into trouble giving me a chance to watch our current system in practice. In one case, I heard teacher after teacher testify that the youth had been exceptional, and never caused harm, only to be astounded to hear a panel of principals and vice principals rule that the youth should be permanently expelled from Ann Arbor's school system.

May 26, 2010 Policy, School, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA

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Restorative Justice and Campus Conduct Administration

In March, Eastern Mennonite University hosted a symposium exploring the use of restorative practices in college campus conduct administration. These short YouTube videos feature two of the participants describing their experiences with using restorative practices to respond to student misconduct.

Josh Bacon, the director of Judicial Affairs at James Madison University in Virginia, describes how implementing restorative practices rejuvenated his career.It gives him the opportunity to interact with students and community members.

May 14, 2010 Story, School, Video, Region: North America and Caribbean, Policy, Country:USA

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Twilight for campus legal codes? Talking circles aid the aftermath of destructively drunk students and more.

from Bonnie Price Lofton's article in The Mennonite:

After more than a decade of ushering misbehaving students at James Madison University (JMU), Harrisonburg, Va., through hearings, sanctions and other legalistic steps, Josh Bacon wanted a change.

"I went into educational leadership and student affairs because I cared about young adults and their futures," he says. "But that’s not how they perceived me—they saw me as the 'bad guy,' somebody there to enforce the university's rules, somebody who wasn’t on their side.'

Seeking a fresh approach, Bacon signed up for a restorative justice course at Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, taught by an internationally recognized pioneer in the restorative justice field, Howard Zehr.

May 05, 2010 School, Manual, Region: North America and Caribbean, Policy, Country:USA

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