LARGO, Fla. - A practice to improve school culture and equip students to overcome adversity is facing some criticism in Pinellas County.
- Parents concerned over correct implementation of Restorative Practice
- Some community members want to see slower implementation
- More Pinellas County stories
Restorative Practice is not a discipline plan, but a process to help prevent disciplinary problems.
On Tuesday, over twenty members of FAST, a faith based community group, came to voice their frustrations with the implementation of the program, which has been ongoing over the last year and a half.
Chris Harris, a mother of three, told us her children have been having disciplinary issues within the schools they attend, issues she believes Restorative Practice would help. But right now, she does not believe two of her children's schools are implementing Restorative Practice correctly.
Pinellas County School District Superintendent Michael Grego spoke first before public comment began. He said so far the group that is the authority on teaching Restorative Practice, the International Institute for Restorative Practice (IIRP), considers Pinellas County one of the nation's leaders when it comes to implementing the practice.
"I encourage, whether it’s the FAST organization or anyone else interested in improving our school district, to first become well informed of what we are doing," said Grego.
After he spoke, two area superintendents went over misconceptions and misinformation they have heard concerning Restorative Practice. Then the community was able to one by one voice their concerns regarding topics such as referral suppression, full district-wide implementation, and teachers struggling with the new program.
"I don’t know if we have had complaints from teachers, but when you try to move a massive initiative like this across the district, you are going to have misconceptions," said Pinellas Area Superintendent Patricia Wright.
Wright said the program still has another full year before it will be fully implemented within the school district. So far, every school in Pinellas County has its own Restorative Practice trainer.
All principals and 5,600 instructional staff members have been trained.
Community members, however, are not as on board with the timeline of things. They would rather see fewer schools fully implemented and then the remaining schools brought on board.
But differences aside, at the end, everyone left feeling they were heard.
“We just perhaps have different ways of getting to it, but I think ultimately we all want the same thing," said Wright.
“I am going to say it’s like an in-between, because it’s not bad, because they really say they are really working on it. So we look forward to working with them on it," said Harris.