Into the Fold, Episode 22: Restorative Discipline in Schools

There is a wealth of research on the relationship between school discipline and academic achievement among school age children and adolescents. Studies show persistent racial disparities in the type, frequency and harshness of discipline meted out to students, and these disparities in turn contribute to lower levels of achievement and even the "school to prison pipeline" for minority students. Dr. Marilyn Armour, director of the Institute for Restorative Justice and Restorative Dialogue (IRJRD), is our guest for this episode of the podcast. IRJRD defines Restorative Discipline as "a philosophy and system-wide intervention that places relationships at the heart of the educational experience. The goal of Restorative Discipline is to change the school climate rather than merely respond to student behavior." Dr. Armour explains what this means, why Restorative Discipline is starting to catch on in Texas, and ways that the approach can be implemented.