DISCIPLINE onviolent schools take a proactive role to prevent problems instead of just being reactive. They build up young people instead of tearing them down. Exclusion from school and arrests of students on school grounds are a last resort. Discipline is restorative in nature. The School District has made strides in the introduction of peer mediation, measures to address bullying, and by removing Zero Tolerance from their discipline policy, but there is still more to be done.
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Shift resources from policing and surveillance technology to evidence-based programs and practices that increase personalization and support including, but not limited to, Student Success Centers, increasing counselor to student ratio, and school based restorative practices. Conduct restorative practices training for principals, leadership teams, teachers, and staff in all middle and high schools. Allow students to identify and select meaningful community service opportunities as a form of restitution. Implement annual student-led communication and trust building sessions with all those involved in school safety matters at every middle school and high school. Ensure that school-based staff are trained to report and intervene, using restorative practices, in ongoing patterns of bias, abuse, or bullying of students at the hands of other students or staff members. Restrict the use of physical restraint of student by school staff to circumstances in which there is an imminent threat of bodily harm. Set ongoing targets for reduction of school-based arrests, out of school suspensions, and disciplinary referrals. To reduce school-based arrests, out of school suspensions, and disciplinary referrals, convene a committee of stakeholders, including students, to create a graduated discipline matrix. Limit the use of out of school suspensions to circumstances where there is a legitimate threat to school safety. Distinguish and clarify the difference between instances of “reporting” and “referral” to law enforcement. Set targets on limiting referrals. Keep responsibility for reporting incidents to the PPD into the hands of trained principals.
Students and School Police: http://www.phillystudentunion.org/phillystudentunion/press_archive/06.15.09_Philadelphia_Tribune.pdf Safety with Dignity: http://www.nyclu.org/news/nyclu-annenberg-institute-release-report-successful-and-safe-nyc-schools-say-no-aggressive-poli Safer Saner Schools: http://www.safersanerschools.org/Research-and-Testimonials.html Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: http://wideningthecircle.org Policing in Schools: Developing a Governance Document For School Resource Officers in K-21 Schools: http://www.aclu.org/racialjustice/policing-schools-developing-governance-document-school-resource-officers-k-12-schools