Urban Educators' Journey with Restorative Justice: Insights and Challenges

The purpose of this study was to explore administrators’ and teachers’ experiences and perceptions of how restorative practice strategies impact the execution of school discipline in an urban middle school. This study included a review of data collected from interviews with middle school administrators and teachers in a large school district. A purposeful sample of 4 administrators and 11 teachers were interviewed. The interviews provided an in-depth understanding of the interviewees’ experiences and perceptions regarding the efficacy of utilizing restorative practice strategies at their campus. The findings of this study highlight the challenges identified, such as inadequate training, lack of buy-in, and prevalent deficit ideology, and underscore the necessity for comprehensive solutions.