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
Bullying Comes in Many Forms: What to do if your child is being bullied
If your child comes home and tells you that they’ve been bullied at school, ask your child for the most specific information possible about the incident. Children are often reluctant…
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
LIVESTREAM: Teachers Talk School Discipline
Former teacher & PDE Researcher Rhyen Staley and Illinois Teacher Daniel Buck discuss what it’s like in classrooms today.
Resources
Incidents
Poway Unified School District provides discipline training for staff that includes quizzes about swastikas and “Comparing Blacks to Monkeys”
Parents Defending Education received documents from a public records request submitted to the Poway Unified School District that contain training provided to staff. These documents contain questionable content, such as…
Incidents
Pierce Middle School hosting diversity event for parents with breakout sessions on “Hate Speech” and “Restorative Justice”
Pierce Middle School is hosting an event titled “Parent University: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Pierce” on February 23, 2023. The event is for parents and will include breakout sessions…
Incidents
Iowa City Community School District urges families to read “A Racial Justice Guide to Thanksgiving;” includes updates on “Intersectionality,” “Transgender Day of Remembrance,” “Restorative Justice”
In its monthly Cultural Diversity & Equity Newsletter, the Iowa City Community School District included resources for commemorating Native American Heritage Month including lesson plans, take-home work, and other…
Incidents
Hamilton County Commission Appropriates $70,000 to The CALEB Fund to Address Discipline Disparities And Restorative Practices In Hamilton County Schools
In July of 2022, The Hamilton County Commission voted to appropriate $70,000 to the CALEB fund to address discipline disparities and restorative justices practices in Hamilton County schools. CALEB…
Incidents
Milton Public Schools 4th Graders forced into weekly “Restorative Justice” circles
Families of 4th Graders at Tucker Elementary School in Milton, Massachusetts have recently been informed that their children will be attending weekly “Restorative Justice” circles. The sessions are led…
Incidents
Montgomery County Public Schools requires staff to complete “Bridging Implicit Bias to Racism” and “Fundamentals of Restorative Justice” training
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has explicitly endorsed Critical Race Theory (CRT) since before 2013. MCPS has promoted events with keynote…
Incidents
Hazelwood School District promises to lean into discomfort, promote restorative justice practices and create a diversity, equity and inclusion solutions group
On the day of the Derek Chauvin verdict, parents in the Hazelwood School District received a text message that said: “HSD – Derek Chauvin Verdict Statement. Click here to…
Incidents
San Mateo-Foster Schools support social justice including ‘Restorative Practices’
On June 1, 2020, San Mateo-Foster City School District Superintendent Joan Rosas sent parents a letter, “Reflecting on the death of George Floyd, Social Justice Resources,” that linked…
Incidents
News
Restorative Practices, Do They Really Work?
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
K-12 school discipline model is failing students and teachers
Meteoric rise in school violence results in lost learning, higher stress…
Commentaries
Parents Defending Education’s Comments on the Department of Education’s Request for Information Regarding the Nondiscriminatory Administration of School Discipline
On July 23, Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Education in response to their request for information, Docket ID ED-2021-OCR-0068. As the comments note,…
Press Releases
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