Diverted From Discipline: L.A. Schools Replace Cops with Restorative Justice
This article talks about how some schools in LA are using a restorative justice approach to deal with behavior issues such as school fights rather than relying on law enforcement to deal with these issues. I really like the idea of having a restorative justice coordinator (RJ Coordinator) on school campuses as I feel that students can have someone they can rely on and talk to about issues that they are experiencing. Also, I agree with what the author expressed in this article; having police on campus can do more harm than good, especially if they’re targeting certain ethnic groups. As many schools in LA are hiring a RJ Coordinator, I’m hoping that there will be less police presence on campus.
Hi Sharon,
I think this is a great move for the schools. I know that having a SRO (student resource officer, essentially law enforcement) on my school campus didn’t make me feel safer at all. If anything, it made me more nervous that there would be some kind of altercation. I think having a restorative justice coordinator is a much better option and I hope that other schools decide to do the same thing in the near future.
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for the comment. I agree with you too about having a SRO on campus doesn’t necessarily make students feel safe. I’m looking forward to learning more about the impact that restorative justice coordinators (RJ Coordinators) have on school campuses. I know the school I used to work at has an RJ Coordinator and I’ve heard that they’ve helped reduce the amount of fights on campus.