PPS uses 'restorative justice' practices in student discipline, parent group finds

PORTLAND, Maine (CITC) — Portland Public Schools (PPS) permits the use of restorative justice practices in student discipline, sparking outrage with a parents' rights group.

PPS is one of more than 200 school districts nationwide included in a list of where restorative justice practices are being used. The list, compiled by Parents Defending Education (PDE) and shared exclusively with Crisis in the Classroom (CITC), seeks to determine any connection between use of restorative practices and "the unprecedented behavioral chaos being seen in schools."

Restorative justice practices often focus on mediation over punishment. Schools which use related approaches typically urge students to resolve conflicts in groups and discourage frequent uses of suspension or expulsion.

In the list, PDE includes PPS's "Bullying and Cyberbullying in Schools" policy. The policy notes that a district official responding to any relevant incident may use alternative disciplinary approaches, which can include "restorative conferencing."

Restorative conferencing is an element of restorative justice and involves a "mediated dialogue" between both harmed and offending individuals, according to Michigan State University. Its goal is described as giving offenders opportunities to "take primary responsibility for repairing any harm done."

PPS also notes in the Support Services section of its website that a "restorative justice mediator" can be utilized to help students resolve conflicts.The district declined CITC's request for information on how restorative practices have benefitted its students and for clarity on what restorative conferencing entails in PPS.

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Rhyen Staley, a researcher for PDE and a former teacher, believes restorative practices in schools are creating frustration for both families and educators.

The biggest issue for parents is their child is not getting educated because these classroom disruptions are happening," Staley told CITC. "And teachers are frustrated because they've been sold the bill of goods."

"The staff I was working with, there was constant outreach about 'can you solve this, please?'" he continued.

A report published by the National Institutes of Health in 2022 says restorative justice practices are often used to "reduce racial disparities." However, it notes there is little evidence demonstrating how successful they are in addressing the root of such disparities.

Have something for the Crisis in the Classroom team to investigate? Call or text the national tip line at 202-417-7273.