Gwinnett schools to pause discipline program after public complaints
Gwinnett County Public Schools Superintendent Calvin Watts talking with North Gwinnett Middle School.
(Courtesy Photo)
Gwinnett County Public Schools will pause its discipline policy after public complaints about implementation. The school board approved the use of a program called ‘restorative practices’ in August. It’s a method of conflict resolution that focuses on repairing harm by strengthening relationships. However, parents and students have urged officials to make changes after reports of some brutal incidents in schools, including a recent video that captured a student beating up a teacher at Discovery High School.
The district put a discipline task force together, made up of teachers, school leaders, community members, and students. The idea was to come up with recommendations for Gwinnett Superintendent Calvin Watts. But community members said it was taking too long for officials to act.
“It’s not rocket science,” said Brenda Stewart. “A lack of consequences for teenagers emboldens bad behavior.”
GCPS student Eddie Madden urged the board to come up with a plan.
“I’ve seen no action taken towards any sorts of solutions, even just a declaration of, ‘This is what we will do,’ or ‘This is what will change,’ or, ‘This is how we’re going to approach a change,’” he said.
Stewart and Madden spoke at the December school board meeting. At the end of the meeting, Watts announced the district would pause restorative justice to give school staff a chance to receive the 20-30 hours of training he said is necessary to implement the program effectively.
“This pause is intended to allow each and every one of our teams at our local schools and our district office, who are supporting, to be properly trained and to properly train staff,” Watts said.
The training will start in January and continue through the 2023-24 school year. Watts said he expects schools to fully implement the program during the 2024-25 school year.
Watts said the task force made four recommendations, which he has approved. Among them: having schools identify a lead or team of leaders who will receive training and then train other staff members; holding pilot programs in the South Gwinnett and Shiloh clusters; and allowing more school administrators to intervene in discipline matters.
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