User:Philip Oreste/Social justice educational leadership

Student services
Social justice leadership builds on concepts of inclusive education, in which services are brought to students in the general classroom environment, rather than pulling students out to a resource room. However, social justice leadership diverges somewhat from inclusive education in that full inclusion at all times is not required. Social justice leaders focus on providing services in classrooms and other flexible spaces that can be accessed by all students, rather than removing students to receive special support in separate classrooms. Social justice leadership also emphasizes assigning students to classrooms and groups using proportional representation. This means that the proportion of students in any classroom or group should match the natural proportion of students from all demographic groups in the school. For example, if 15% of the student body is Latino, then 15% of every classroom should be Latino, only 15% of students who qualify for special education should be Latino and only 15% of students receiving discipline should be Latino. This method of bringing services to students in general education environments with proportional representation also differs from pull-out models like response to intervention (RtI). Many pull-out models identify students struggling in the classroom and assign them to interventions led by educator specialists outside the general education classroom, rather than by their classroom teachers. For students with more significant needs, pull-out interventions may be from several staff, such as from the Title I teacher, reading interventionist, speech therapist, and social worker, introducing multiple adults and environments to students who would most benefit from consistency. This practice locates the responsibility for educating students with additional needs with the interventionist, rather than the classroom teacher, reducing their efficacy.

Restorative Justice
Thalia González describes restorative justice in schools as “an approach to discipline that engages all parties in a balanced practice that brings together all people impacted by an issue or behavior.” Heather Alexander details the roots of these practices, stating, “The principles of restorative justice are consistent with many indigenous traditions, including Canadian First Nations people and the Maori in New Zealand.” She also links restorative justice to “entangled roots in native, religious, and legal communities.” Alexander and González have studied how the underpinnings of various cultural, religious, and judicial practices have made their way into the philosophy and practice of restorative justice. Multiple scholars advocate for restorative practices as an alternative to exclusionary approaches to discipline, both in schools and in the criminal justice system. Many different practices (including, but not limited to: circles, mediation, conferencing, and youth courts) are labeled as restorative justice. Trevor Fronius, et. al describe restorative justice as “a broad term that encompasses a growing social movement to institutionalize peaceful and non-punitive approaches for addressing harm, responding to violations of legal and human rights, and problem solving.” This definition speaks to restorative justice as more of a collection of practices rooted in a common philosophy than a specific “program.” Fronius, et. al go on to say that “the emphasis on the harm done rather than the act is a widely recognized principle across the RJ literature.” and they speak to Dorothy Vaandering’s work surrounding “how to use shame as a path toward reintegration rather than stigmatization." Key Principles of Restorative Justice


 * Repairing Harm,
 * Involving Stakeholders
 * Transforming Community Relationships