Vickie Shoap - “Application of Restorative Practices and Restorative Justice in Fairfax County Public Schools”

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RESTORATIVE PRACTICES AND

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Vickie Shoap Restorative Justice Specialist IIFCPS Special Services, Student Safety and Wellness Office [email protected] 571-423-4278

mailto:[email protected]

Slides can not be reproduced or used in trainings without permission

Fairfax County Virginia

Population: 1,137,538 Borders Wash. DC

10th largest public school system in the US

FCPS includes 244 schools and centers

200,000 students, 1 out of 6 residents are FCPS students

24,611 full time staff


FCPS Diversity

Students from over 175 countries.

10% African American 24.6% Hispanic 19% Asian American 40% White

48 alternative learning and special needs sites.


What is Restorative Justice? A philosophy that looks at crime and wrongdoing as

relational. Restorative practices are relationship building skills

that grew from the principles of RJ. People and relationships are the focus of a

restorative approach to prevention and discipline. Degrees of responsibility in wrongdoing. Reasonable consequences are created by offending

student and those most harmed. Victim centered process of justice. Evidence based alternative to suspension and

expulsion.


Principles of Restorative JusticeAll FCPS Applications

Focus on the harms of wrongdoing more than on the rule or law that has been broken.

Empower victims and show equal concern for their needs in the discipline process.

Support students who have harmed others while encouraging them to take personal responsibility for their actions and understand, accept and carry out their obligations.


Principles of Restorative JusticeAll FCPS Applications

Provide opportunities for dialogue between students who have harmed others and those most affected by the wrongdoing. Participation is always voluntary.

Involve and empower the affected community through the process of justice.

Encourage collaboration and reintegration, rather than punishment and isolation.

Show respect to all parties involved in wrongdoing and involve all equally.


Restorative Practices and Restorative Justicein FCPS

Restorative practices are skills often utilized informal restorative justiceprocesses that may alsobe used in classrooms tobuild relationships, createconnections and preventharm and violence before they occur.

A restorative justiceconference is a formalvictim-centeredprocess for responding toharm and wrongdoing.


Restorative Discipline Paradigm Comparison

Traditional

Offensive behavior means breaking the rules.

Administrators determine outcome

Focus is on offending student

Can produce defensiveness

Accountability means ‘taking your medicine’

Restorative

Offensive behavior means violating people and relationships

Everyone impacted by incident determines outcome

Focus is on those impacted

Encourages honesty

Accountability means taking personal responsibility for actions


Restorative Practice Questions I Statements Restorative Questions

“It makes me uncomfortable when I hear you tease others.” What happened?

“I am frustrated that you are not listening to me.”

What were you thinking about at the time?

“I get upset when you talk and joke when I am teaching.”

Who is being affected by your behavior?

“I was shocked to see you act like that.” What impact has this incident had on you?

“I think you should apologize!” What do you think you need to do to make things right?

FCPS Portrait of a Graduate and Restorative Justice • Deep listening, reflection and personal communication skills

are modeled and taught through direct engagement.

• An RJ process is a collaborative process that seeks to involve and engage people in decisions that affect their lives.

• The basic premise of RJ is that strong relationships with adults and other students are fundamental to learning and resilience.

• The circle process teaches social-emotional skills such as empathy, compassion and cultural awareness.

• RJ is primarily a structured and reflective problem-solving

process.

Conti

nuum

of r

esto

rativ

e pr

actic

es (R

P) a

nd re

stor

ative

justi

ce (R

J) ap

plic

ation

s in

FCPS

Requires training &

certification to facilitateRP Preve

ntion

Serio

usness

of Harm

RJ Interve

ntion

Restorative Justice Conference:SR&R violations, student/student, student/staff, parent/staff, etc…Available to all schools

Middle School Restorative Behavior Program:RP questions, deeper reflection activities and engagement, circles and RJ discipline conferences

Circles, Preventative:Attendance groups, minor disputes, escalating conflicts, bullying education, teaching conflict resolution skillsAvailable to all schools

Restorative Practices in the Classroom:RJ philosophy and language for classroom management Available to all schools

Can be used by all with training


Student Led Restorative Justice Thomas Jefferson High School Student Honor

Council, 2 Teacher Advisors (2015-16, 3rd year). RJ Conferences facilitated by RJ trained and

certified students for academic integrity discipline issues: cheating, plagiarism etc.

Requirements for training and certification same as FCPS staff.

This year students are training a second high school Honor Council and staff.

Webinar: Eastern Mennonite U. Zehr InstituteFor Restorative Justice: Student Led RJ in Fairfax County


Fairfax County Collaborative Agency AAP-Alternative Accountability Program

FCPS

JuvenileCourt

NVMS

(local service provider)

Neighborhood & Community

Services

POLICESRO’s


Fairfax County Collaborative Agency AAP-Alternative Accountability Program

Divert students arrested and/or charged by police for incidents that occur at school or on school property to an RJ process.

Divert youth arrested in the community to an RJ process.

Voluntary. Parents must agree. Youth has no prior charges. No court connection, no record. 2nd year, 100% compliance with agreements.


Restorative Justice Team

Assistant Superintendant Special Services, Dr. Jane Lipp Director Intervention & Prevention, Dr. Mary Ann Panarelli

Coordinator Student Safety and Wellness Office, Clarence Jones

Restorative Justice Specialist IIRestorative Justice Specialist I

5 Restorative Behavior Intervention Teachers (RBIT’s):(2 ED backgrd & Spec. Ed Certified, 2 Multi Lingual, 2 art certs.)

Northern Virginia Mediation Service (non-Profit provider)


Restorative Justice Training in FCPS(number of FCPS staff trained up to year 4 of implementation in red)

Level 1 Orientation Training (1700)(RJ 101, pre-requisite for all trainings) Level 2 Facilitator Training (500 staff, 8 student) Level 3 Advanced Facilitator Training (26)

(Level 2 Certified Staff Only) Attendance Circle Training (65, new in 2014-15) Restorative Practices In The Classroom

Training For Teachers: Trainings and Extended Academy Class (185, new in 2014-15)


Why do we need a new discipline paradigm?(Information we share with FCPS administrators.)

Repeat suspensions in middle school triple the probability of later involvement with the justice system. (US Dept. of Education, US Dept. of Justice 2012).

One suspension reduces a students trajectory toward graduation by 20%. (US Dept. of Education, US Dept. of Justice 2012).

There is no evidence that poor and minority kids misbehave any worse that children from other socioeconomic backgrounds. (Skiba/Williams 3.14).

U.S. spends $10, 995 to educate one student per school year. (Nat’l Ctr. for Education Statistics, The Condition of Education 2012)

U.S. spends $87,981. to process and confine a juvenile offender for one year. (Justice Policy Inst., The Costs of Confinement: Why Good Juvenile Justice Policies)


Challenges: Myths of Restorative Justice Magic pill

aka..butterflies and unicorns

Can be used for any

situation

Soft on wrongdoing

You just have to say you’re sorry. Offenders avoid consequences.

Only for minor wrongdoing and

first-time offenders

Substitute for the existing system of

justice and discipline

Takes too much time


Implementation Year 4

1st Semester 2013-2014

2nd Semester 2013-2014

1st Semester 2014-2015

2nd Semester 2014-2015

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Growth in # of Referrals 2013-2015

High School ReferralsMiddle School ReferralsElementary Referrals


Referrals to RJ 2014-15

Nature of Incident0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Primary Nature of Referral 14-15

FightEscalating/Ongoing ConflictDisrespect/DefianceBullyingHarassmentTheftCyber WarfareThreat Verbal/CyberSexual HarassmentOtherInappropriate use of cell phoneCheatingAssault on Staff

Num

ber o

f Ref

erra

ls


Analysis of Referral Outcomes

Series10

25

50

75

100

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

17%17%60%3% 3%

# of Students by Referral Outcome417 Students Represented

*Does not include students from cases in-progress

Circle/ConferenceReferral OnlyPreconference OnlySeminar OnlyCircle/Conference + Seminar

# of Students Served

# of

Stu

dent

s Ser

ved


RJ Referrals Participants

77% of all Referrals

17% of all Referrals

6% of all Referrals

Conflict Type 2014-2015

Student vs. Student

Student vs. Staff

Other


Early Data

Very low recidivism for offending students (2013-14, 4-8%).

Victims and parents of victims report 100% satisfaction with RJ process and outcome.

Administrator reports indicate no further involvement with discipline for majority of students participating in RJ.

Students asking for RJ circles to prevent violence and stop ongoing conflict.

Climate Point: “No longer cool to reject RJ”