Restorative Justice at the Tarrytown Schools

Suspensions are down by more than 50% at the Tarrytown High School this year due to the new Restorative Justice program, and the assistant principals are”proud” of this. A lack of suspensions, however, does not mean better behavior. In a study of Restorative Justice practices in Pittsburgh, suspensions were also down, but students reported more bullying and more class time lost to disruption. A RAND study at the Pittsburgh public schools also showed lower math achievement. Restorative Justice succeeds in the metric it claims to succeed in, lowering suspension. However, is that a good thing? Will teachers be hesitant to report misbehavior? Based on the Pittsburgh study, the Restorative Justice approach works better for the students who are getting in trouble, but it works less well for the 94% of students who are not getting in trouble and who are facing more disruption in their classes, making it more difficult for them to learn. The Tarrytown schools seem to have bought fully into this idea, as the teachers are even doing restorative justice circles now.?

In fairness to the leadership of the schools, the results of the Restorative Justice program will be impossible to judge until a full year of student and teacher feedback is evaluated in the spring. If both teachers and students find classes are less disruptive, it could work.?