The Reality of Restorative Justice: A Critical Ethnography of a Public Elementary School

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Revisiting the Past to Reimagine the Future: Liberation, Joy, and Community as Frameworks for Educational Justice and Renewal

Abstract

Restorative justice practices have been widely implemented in public middle and high schools. These practices are used in place of exclusionary punishments that have historically targeted Students of Color, students with a lower socioeconomic status, and students in special education. Research suggests a lack of understanding about how restorative justice practices may be implemented in elementary schools. Through the use of critical ethnography, this paper's findings reveal how the culture of an elementary school influences the practice of restorative justice.

Authors

• Hannah Scott Rohrer-Fitzhugh, Westminster College

• Shawn R. Coon, Westminster University