Today we're talking about Restorative Justice and how some schools are shifting their approach to student discipline. Eric Butler is the Restorative Justice Coordinator at Ralph Bunche High School in Oakland. There are over 20 schools in Oakland that have incorporated some sort of restorative approach to discipline. This means, instead of a punitive approach to issues at school, all parties are encouraged to address the harm that's done and then try to repair any harm that was caused in their community. Eric Butler says the approach is a complete shift from how schools traditionally deal with discipline.
ERIC BUTLER: "We’re doing something different we’re apologizing for those messed up messages that we taught because we should’ve been teaching tolerance."
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