In a new book, a high school principal, Zachary Scott Robbins explains how he implemented a time-efficient and budget-friendly process to improve equity in the discipline.
The restorative justice tribunal is designed to divert students from the justice system and restore their position in the school community. The Tribunal was started when school officials realized that they were suspending African-American students five times more often than their peers, even though they didn't make up even a third of the school's student population.
A tribunal is defined as a person or institution with the power to adjudicate, render judgments, or decide on claims or disputes. It is a group to which the school leader gives the authority to confirm agreements between parties, and repair the damage that individuals inflict in the school community. During their meeting, the perpetrators can tell their stories and reflect on their actions.
All of this is designed to help students understand how their behaviour has harmed the community, and that their actions have an impact on other people.
Time and cost were crucial for the Tribunal to succeed. But the outcome is a reduced number of suspensions and expulsions rates. Furthermore, the Restorative Justice Tribunal was successful in teaching students how to use tools to navigate social and classroom situations that sometimes provoked poor behaviour choices.
The Restorative Justice Tribunal requires two trained professionals, plus three or four trained students/peers. It is also good to have an effective school counselor, social worker, or psychologist.
The involvement of peers in problem-solving is key to the Tribunal. They help participants feel relaxed during the proceedings, provide valuable support, as well as a student perspective on how perpetrators should repair the damages. Finally, their presence ensures that the voice of students is heard, and repatriation is fair and relevant.
Read more about this interesting mode of restorative justice here.