Restorative Justice is the Key to School Discipline Reform

Since the founding of Bronx Lab School in 2004, “student discipline” has been an ongoing topic of discussion. Students, staff, and parents are continually debating the merits and efficacy of suspensions, detentions, and mediations in addressing the realities of student conflict and non-adherence to school policies and values. What we know for sure after more than a decade of these conversations is that there are no simple answers. What we have learned is, though, is that Restorative Justice supports our community’s mission and values, and offers a humanizing approach to the ever-present “discipline” question.