We’ve all seen the videos of fights in school: student vs. student, student vs. teacher. The incidents have increased in number since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading many parents to ask, “is my child safe at school?” and more teachers to worry about their own safety at school.

But what has led to this increase in violence and disruptions in schools? Many seem to be looking for one simple answer and the most common one seems to be school closures during COVID. And that certainly is a significant factor but it’s unlikely that lockdowns alone are to blame for the collapse of basic social and behavioral norms in our schools. 

There has to be more to the story…

Below you’ll find what you need to know about school discipline. From new terms like “restorative justice,” questions to ask your school if things are getting out of hand in your child’s classroom, and groups pushing discipline policies that are having a negative effect on classroom order.

There is not a one-size-fits-all solution for discipline in k-12, but parents need to be informed in order to effect positive change in their local schools.

Resources


Discipline in Schools 101

We’ve all seen the videos of fights in schools, student vs. student, student vs. teacher. The incidents have increased in number since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading many…

Resources

Questions to Ask Your School about Discipline

What is the school or district code of conduct? Does this school have a zero tolerance policy and how is it implemented? Where can I file a bullying incident report?…

Resources

Understanding School Discipline Jargon

Much of the jargon used when discussing disciplining students in k-12 schools sounds benign – virtuous, even – to the average ear. We hear words like “restorative justice” and it…

Resources

Groups pushing Restorative Justice in Schools

(This is a preliminary list of groups currently pushing restorative justice/progressive discipline in K-12 schools. We will add to it as we learn more.) American Federation…

Resources

Restorative Justice Livestream

PDE’s Public School Advocacy Associate, Scarlen Valderaz, is joined by Jeff Myers, of Save Oregon Schools to discuss restorative justice and his first-hand experience of what it did to his…

Resources

Restorative Justice Frequently Asked Questions

Questions you are likely to hear if you oppose or question restorative justice: Why do you support suspending kids and causing them to miss class?  A: Disruptive or unsafe behaviors…

Resources

Incidents


News


Restorative Practices, Do They Really Work?

  • Scarlen Valderaz

Public schools across our country have adopted “restorative” practices to manage student discipline, claiming these policies restore the relationship between the victim and bully while lowering the racial student discipline…

Commentaries