October—November 2014

1

CONTRIBUTORS

Director

Ray Culberson

Editor

Henry Yzaguirre Ed.D.

Co-Editors

Michelle Myers

Rebecca Harper

Patty Taylor

PRAXIS IS:

Commitment to human

well being and the search

for truth, and respect for

others.

34°N 117°W are the geo-

graphical coordinates of

San Bernardino

SBCUSD

Department of Youth Services Ray Culberson, Director

Volume 2, Issue 2

Phone: 909-880-6812

Fax: 909-880-6822

Website: www.sbcusd.com/youthservices

1535 W. Highland Ave

San Bernardino, CA 92411

SBCUSD

Department of Youth Services

Ray Culberson, Director

PRAXIS 34 o N 117 o W

process. One can say that the discipline process becomes a pedagogy of hope when the principles of restorative justice undergird it. The youth court model is a flexi-ble one. Some models are school based while others are held at police/probation offices. Some models make use of a youth court room along with a real judge and bailiff. No matter what model is used all youth courts share a common goal; that goal is to hold youthful offenders accountable for their actions by giving them a disposition deter-mined by their peers. The most effective models follow some basic parameters that are restorative in nature. These guid-ing principles may include:

Repair: Misconduct results

in harm to others and the school community. The offender has the obligation and is given the opportunity to make things right. Essen-tially, justice requires re-building broken relation-ships and increasing the offenders’ awareness of the impact his/her actions have had on others.

Involvement: All stakehold-

ers, including the victim (if they wish), are given an opportunity to provide input and participate in the process.

Justice System Role: The

school adults’ or justice system’s role becomes one of facilitator rather than authoritarian. The restora-

tive-based role has to do more with problem-solving and youth development. Youth and the school com-munity become the “experts” in how to respond to wrongdoing. Adults are given the role to train and supervise youth courts members. Adults are also responsible in ensuring that the offender completes the assigned sanctions.

A popular youth court model is the Adult Judge Model. An adult volunteer acts in the role of the judge. Youth volunteers serve in roles such as jurors, clerks, and bailiffs. Put simply, the process may involve the following steps:

The offender admits to the wrongdoing and chooses youth court over a suspen-sion or other punitive con-sequence.

The case is reviewed, pro-cessed and scheduled for court.

The case is presented to a trained panel of youth ju-rors.

Input from the victim is presented. This may be in the form of an impact state-ment that is read during the hearing. The victim might be a student, teacher, or the school community.

The respondent (offender) is given an opportunity to speak and show remorse.

The jury deliberates and develops a plan of action that is restorative in nature.

An adult facilitator monitors

Children Grow Up in Communities not Programs Youth Courts A Community Based Response to Student Misconduct

Youth Court Planning Session

With Representatives From

Reach Out

Forging and maintaining strong relationships of respect and high expectations for students comes before any other learning can occur. This is especially true for those stu-dents who display the most re-sistance toward schooling. Youth courts offer an alternative method for addressing wrongdoing that would otherwise result in exclusion-ary and alienating practices such as suspensions, citations, and expul-sions. The problem with traditional re-sponses to student misconduct is that they offer no opportunities for student reflection, dialogue, and opportunities to put things right. They merely create the illusion that something was done swiftly to address the behavior. Punishing does nothing more than to perpetu-ate the cycle of neglecting the vic-tim, reinforcing the offender’s nega-tive identity and increasing resent-ment and guilt. There must be a better way that incorporates the restorative lens that misbehavior is a violation of people and relation-ships instead of punishing. Youth courts provide the means of shifting the focus from student defi-cits (no hope) to student transfor-mation (hope) within the discipline

October—November 2014

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and supports the respond-ent’s completion of the sentence.

If the respondent fails to complete the sentence, then the adult may rein-state the punitive disposi-tion.

Youth courts function as a diver-sion program for suspensions and some expulsions. The power of youth courts is that they provide an opportunity for the respondent to increase their awareness of the impact their behavior has had on others and to put things right. The process also assists in rebuilding relationships that would otherwise

be ignored when resorting to suspensions or expulsions. The opportunity for student transfor-mation is why I refer to restora-tive practices as a “Pedagogy of Hope. “

“Youth courts provide

the means of shifting

the focus from student

deficits (no hope) to

student transformation

(hope) within the disci-

pline process.”

Dr. Henry Yzaguirre

Restorative Justice Team

SBCUSD

Youth Court by the Numbers– National Facts and Figures Varying by size, objective and structure, there were 1,255 youth court programs (also known as teen, student or peer courts) in existence throughout 49 states and the District of Columbia as of 2006; this is a dramatic increase from the 78 youth court programs in existence in 1994. Information is drawn from the National Youth Court Database (October 2006)

Members of the jury are presented with the facts of the case directly and con-duct a question and answer session in court to inform their disposition. The jury must reach consensus on a fair disposition and it must be approved by the adult judge

Photos Courtesy of Riverside Police Department and the Volunteer Center of Riverside County

October—November 2014

3

Excellence For Teaching: Pockets of Hope

Authors Eileen de los Reyes and Patricia A. Gozemba have written a book in which they capture

the day-to-day teaching and learning that inspires students. Their portrayals of creative and

courageous teachers who inspire students, educators, and parents are referred to by the au-

thors as “Pockets of Hope”.

One such educator can be found at Barton Elementary. “The key here is not what kind of instruction but the attitude underly-ing it. When teachers do not under-stand the potential of the students they teach, they will underteach them no matter what the methodol-ogy.” The preceding quote is from Lisa Dilpit who is an Eminent Scholar and Executive Director of the Center for Urban Educational Excellence at Florida International University in Miami. This quote resonated throughout my interview with Jodi Moran. Ms. Moran has been teaching for 17 years and is a UCLA graduate with a degree in psychology. Currently, she teaches 5th grade and has three simple rules for her students: 1. Be Strong, 2. Be Kind, 3. Be Awesome. I asked Jodi to tell me something about teaching. She replied, “Teaching is the opportunity to en-

sure that students succeed and you don’t accomplish this by trying to control them.” “My job as a teacher is to attempt to raise a student’s level of awareness [of their own agency] and have them choose to learn,” Ms. Moran explained. Ms. Moran attributes much of her success in creating a classroom cli-mate in which students want to learn by her understanding of student agency. We can define agency as “...the capability of individual human beings to make choices and act on these choices in a way that makes a difference in their lives” (Martin, 2004, p. 135). Ms. Moran believes that agency and choice as something that can be elicited generally through student/teacher interaction, and environment design. Ms. Moran explained, “School has to be a place you want to be. By ac-knowledging a students presence and highlighting their strengths, one can begin to create a positive class-

room climate.” She continued,” It starts with adults and their will-ingness to share authority with their pupils and forging partner-ships with them.” Jodi adds that not only do “top” kids deserve recognition but so do all others that show incremental growth. In Ms. Moran’s class there are no “bad” kids and “blame” is not part of her classroom culture. She ends by stating, “We work that is what we do.” There is no doubt that students will choose to learn when they feel a sense of belonging, believe that they have the capacity to learn, and see value in their par-ticipation. Educators like Ms. Moran make all the difference.

“School has to be a place

you want to be. By

acknowledging a

student’s presence and

highlighting their

strengths, one can begin

to create a positive

classroom climate.”

Jodi Moran

Jodi Moran

5th grade teacher

Barton elementary

Youth Services:

Excellence in Teaching

Barton Elementary School

Dr. Henry Yzaguirre

Restorative Justice

Team

October—November 2014

4

The Administrative Hearing Panel Members, under the

guidance of the Department of Youth Services, serve multi-

ple roles in ensuring equitable practices and fair

application of education code related to student discipline.

Youth Services serves as a community hub for parent and

student voice to be heard and valued. Our guiding princi-

ples of equity, student advocacy, and forging positive rela-

tionships with families focus our efforts in cultivating

school connectedness to otherwise disengaged youth.

Meet The Youth Services Restorative Justice Team

“If we could change the world, everyone would learn

to read, critically think, and take action on their own behalf

to transform themselves, their community and the world”

Miss. Michelle Myers

Michelle Myers has been

a counselor in SBCUSD

for 7 years. She has im-

plemented restorative

practices to intervene

with bullying. She main-

tains a partnership with

CSUSB and served as an

onsite fieldwork supervi-

sor for the university’s

gra du a te s t ude nt -

counselor interns. She

has also been the Team

Lead of PBS (Positive

Behavior Support).

Dr. Henry Yzaguirre

Dr. Yzaguirre has

taught elementary,

middle, and alterna-

tive high school stu-

dents. He has served

as a vice principal and

coordinator. His re-

search interests are in

social justice, student

voice, and school cul-

ture. He is currently is

leading collaboration

with local universities

to move theory into

practice.

Mrs. Patty Taylor

Patty Taylor has been a

teacher and school

counselor in SBCUSD

for over 30 years. She

has worn many hats in

SBTA, CTA and NEA

and currently serves as

the President of the

California Association

of School Counselors.

She provides a coun-

seling perspective to

the Youth Services

Department.

Layout Designed by: Nat Chripczuk

SBCUSD BOARD OF EDUCATION Mr. Michael J. Gallo, President

Mrs. Bobbie Perong , Vice President

Dr. Barbara Flores

Mrs. Margaret Hill

Mrs. Abigail Medina

Mrs. Lynda K. Savage

Mr. Danny Tillman

SUPERINTENDENT’S CABINET Dale Marsden, Ed.D., Superintendent

Harold J. Vollkommer, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent

Kennon Mitchell, Ph.D. Assistant Superintendent

Student Services

Perry Wiseman, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent

Human Resources Division

John Peukert, Assistant Superintendent

Facilities/Operations Division

Matilde “Matty” Zamora, Ed.D., Assistant

Superintendent

Educational Services Division

Hector Murrietta, Executive Director , Community

Partnerships Office

Janet King, Director, Fiscal Services

Joe Paulino, Interim District Police and Safety Director/

Chief of Police

Linda Bardere, APR Director, Communications/

Mr. Ray Culberson

Ray Culberson has been the Director of Youth Services for 11 years. He engages with families and students throughout the community in order to “Get them in, Keep them in”. As a product of the San Bernardino school system, he knows the economic and social challenges facing many of our youth and their families.