Detention is something that, unfortunately, we are all much too familiar with. In the four years spent here, many Scotties will inevitably find themselves in the same detention room so many others have sat in before them. Whether it be for attendance, vandalism, or any other rule-breaking offense, the punishment is usually the same. Do your time, and move on with your life.
This kind of conflict resolution is classified as ‘punitive’, as the way of making amends is through punishment. As far back as elementary school, this is usually the practice we experience in education, and in many other areas in life – just look at prisons. Oftentimes, as we’re not really exposed to any other alternatives, we continue believing that punitive punishment is the only kind of conflict resolution available. Thankfully, that’s not the case.
Rather than punishment, restorative justice has an emphasis on healing and repairing the harm done. This is done typically through the usage of dialogue – encouraging discussion between parties and giving people a chance to communicate. While this can certainly appear in the form of the wrongdoer admitting to their mistakes, the communication also fosters a lot more understanding than typical punishment does, and can allow everyone’s side of the story to be heard.
At Helix, restorative justice is cultivated through the club (and program) Scottie Restore. In their meetings, members of Scottie Restore hold discussion circles for a wide variety of situations which they are trained to handle. These circles may happen for one of two reasons; instead of sending students to detention for their misconduct, Helix’s Grade Level Teams may choose to send students to Scottie Restore instead – or, students themselves may request to have a circle held so that they can resolve a conflict they have with another student.
Either way, a typical Scottie Restore meeting involves the establishment of ground rules, such as confidentiality and a guarantee of no judgement being passed. Then, the members of Scottie Restore act as facilitators during these circles. They will ask questions, provide thoughts and advice and see if there is anything that can be done outside of the circles.
For example, if a student is late to first period each day because they have to take a sibling to school, Scottie Restore and the Grade Level Team may work together to create an attendance contract that accommodates that need. “From [these meetings],” says Scottie Restore Advisor, Kenslow Smith, “students have an opportunity to discuss their problems or conflicts with other students, and hopefully gain some insight into finding a solution for that problem[.]” Such a level of understanding, unfortunately, is not usually reached with detention or punitive punishment.
During his interview, Smith pushed the importance of Scottie Restore for the benefits it provides to the community as well as the students who partake in it. “Scottie Restore is a great club to join because it gives you on-job skills. Especially for learning how to do conflict resolution, which is helpful in any job that you will ever have.” Smith went on to mention the community service hours you can earn that count towards graduation, as well as the marketability of the skills you learn participating in the club. He seemed very confident that Scottie Restore was a great investment in both the community and yourself.
In the end, the topic of conflict resolution will always be complex. However, the communicative and healing nature of restorative justice, especially on a high school campus, seems to be a helpful and welcoming addition to the campus atmosphere. And, through joining Scottie Restore, you can be a part of that, as well as Scottie Restore’s own tight-knit community feel.
In room 550, Scottie Restore meets Tuesdays during lunch and Thursdays after school from 3:35 – 4:45.
If you would like to become a facilitator and host circles yourself to help your peers resolve their conflicts, Smith mentioned upcoming trainings after school on Tuesday, October 29th and Thursday, November 7th. The training is necessary to become a facilitator, and while both three hour trainings are required, they are free, and both food and community service hours will be provided. If you have any questions, feel free to email [email protected] or [email protected].