Day 5: It’s Time to #ReThinkDiscipline and Adopt #RestorativeJustice and #PBIS

Thank you to our New Orleans member organizations and national partners for hosting an amazing national event in New Orleans over the last two days, featuring a Critical Conversation on Race and Racism in Education, with keynote speaker David Banner #TheGodBox, and the Crisis in Education Tribunal: Putting the New Orleans School System on Trial. You can find highlights from the event on our Twitter Storify here. Thank you to Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarceraed Children, Black Man Rising, Community Education Project of New Orleans, Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal, Communities for Justice Schools Fund and #WeChoose Campaign.

During the national event we also launched a new video on the Evolution of the Week of Action since 2010, and a preview of a new toolkit available online on Culturally Relevant Curriculum and Culturally Responsive Schools from DSC members West Dayton Youth Task Force and Racial Justice NOW!

On social media today we are using the hashtags #RethinkDiscipline #RestorativeJustice #PBIS. We are focusing particularly on our National Demand #2: Fund and use transformative and restorative justice, mediation and positive interventions to create a positive school climate.

Here are some sample tweets:

  • Watch our new video on the Evolution of the DSC Week of Action #DSCWoA2017 #RethinkDiscipline http://bit.ly/2gIJ3MZ
  • It’s time to #RethinkDiscipline, Invest in #RestorativeJustice & #PBIS to create positive school climate #DSCWoA2017 http://bit.ly/1CZ6d1G
  • Check out this new video from @DSC-NY on #CounselorsNotCops #RestorativeJustice #Rethink Discipline #DSCWoA2017 http://bit.ly/2z6ZKth

We have many exciting events scheduled for today!

In Paterson, New Jersey, Parent Education Organizing Council & Paterson Education Fund are holding a March & Rally from a school to local police station to stop school pushout and keep our kids in school and not in prison.

In the Bay-Area, California, Coleman Advocates for Children & Youth will host a conversation about youth leadership and civic engagement, where attendees can share their experiences and ideas and find out how they can get involved in making change in their schools and communities.More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1453640134685657/.

In Richmond, California, Ryse Center is having an event entitled “Our Schools, Our Power General Meeting” at Richmond High School (1250 23rd St. Richmond, CA 94804) centered around a social media campaign to elevate the Dignity in Schools Campaign National Demands.

In Alexandria, Virginia, Tenants and Workers United will be hosting a community forum along with the school district – Alexandria City Public School – the Alexandria Branch NAACP and the Advancement Project to launch a campaign to expand restorative justice in the middle schools due to high suspension rates among youth of color. The is from 6:30-8:00pm at Cora Kelly Elementary School Cafeteria 3600 Commonwealth Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305

In the Bronx, New York, New Settlement Parent Action Committee will hold a Townhall event entitled: “Where are all the Social Workers?” from 5:30pm-7:30pm at New Settlement Community Campus Auditorium at 1501 Jerome Avenue between 172nd Street and Goble Place (enter at Goble Pl). The event will feature parents, school leaders, and community advocates highlighting the need for more social and emotional supports in our public schools.

In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Blue Ribbon Youth Leadership Institute will host “A Classroom in Color – Week of Action”. It starts at 6:00 p.m. at the Chapel Hill Public Library (Presented in Spanish & English). In this student-led workshop, Blue Ribbon YLI & MSAN students answer essential questions, analyze the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Conduct of Color, and share their experiences with microaggressions in various school contexts.  

In Portland, Oregon, Portland Parent Union is holding Parent-to-Parent trainings on restorative justice in Portland Public Schools and other districts using a Parent-to-Parent Guide on Restorative Justice in the Chicago Public Schools. Resolutions Northwest is hosting a youth-led event focusing on the youth voice in the community at Maranatha Church.

In Chicago, Illinois, Blocks Together will have a Community Forum & Action from 5:30pm – 7:30pm at 3711 West Chicago Ave.

Members that are holding a full week of activities are continuing their events today, including CADRE in Los Angeles, who is holding classroom observations where parents will visit various South Los Angeles schools to observe school climate discipline practices in classrooms. Padres Y Jovenes Unidos in Denver, CO will do tabling with Week of Action materials in youth organizing school sites across the state, and chapters of Save the Kids across the country are holding events throughout the week.

To see the full list of events see dignityinschools.org/take-action/national-week-of-action