This presentation will explore the role of race and racism in producing discipline disparities across educational contexts, paying particular attention to how exclusionary discipline practices disproportionately impact Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other historically marginalized students. Drawing on scholarship from educational policy, critical race theory, and organizational leadership, the presentation will examine how discipline disparities are not simply the result of individual bias, but are embedded within broader institutional structures, cultural norms, and policy regimes. Further, the presentation will offer restorative justice as both a pedagogical and organizational tool for addressing racial discipline disparities by fostering accountability, healing, relationship-building, and community-centered approaches to conflict. Importantly, the session will be directly connected to practice through concrete examples, implementation strategies, and discussion of how school and district leaders can operationalize restorative approaches within classrooms, school culture, and disciplinary policy.
In this session, you will:
Analyze the Relationship Between Race, Racism, and School Discipline
Understand Restorative Justice as an Educational and Organizational Framework
Apply Restorative Practices to Educational Leadership and School-Based Contexts
