Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/274063
to school. He admits that it made him feel "cool," and says he is flunking most of his classes, including PE. W h e n a s ke d h ow h i s b e h av i o r affected others, Pedro looks puzzled. "Do you think that parents who saw you doing this might not want to send their kids here?" asks one of the panelists. "Have you considered that people might not trust you anymore?" asks another. Pedro's father says through an interpreter that he had a drinking problem, but quit drinking so that he could be a better father to his son. Now he is disappointed to see his son engaged in substance abuse. Pedro tells the courtroom he feels sad because he has let so many people down. "My father is disappointed in me. He can't trust me being alone with my friends. I feel stupid." Pedro tells the panelists that he would like to regain the trust of his family, stop smoking pot and do better in school. Then he goes into the hallway with his father and the assistant principal while the court ponders his fate. The 3 R's "We emphasize Repair, Restore and Reintegrate," says Junker, who gave a presentation about the program at a panel discussion during the October CTA State Coun- cil meeting. "Students must repair the damage they have done, restore our confidence and reintegrate into the school. It's beyond simply meting out punishment. It's about helping students learn from their mistakes. It's important that this happen. Studies show that stu- dents suspended twice in middle school — and failing math — are five times more likely to wind up in jail." Junker emphasizes that running a Peer Court can't be done by just anyone; it requires training in restorative justice practices. She created the curric- ulum for training the panelists, which is based on asking offending students key questions that lead to reflection and then giving a "sentence" that involves making positive changes such as tutoring, counseling or participating in school activities. Panelists aren't always "goody-two-shoes." Wilbert Hernandez, now a panelist, was an offending student in Peer Court last year after being disruptive in class. Wiping away tears, the eighth-grader explains that the court helped him turn his life around and made him aware that he was acting out in school because he was angry at being separated from his father. He was sentenced to tutoring and counseling sessions. "I was throwing all my ability away," says Hernandez. "Going through the court's suspension diversion program made me realize I was making horrible choices. I have turned my life around. Instead of getting D's and F's, I'm now getting A's and B's." For many students, Peer Court is a way of giving back. "I like helping people get through their problems," says eighth-grader Victoria Robbins, who has been on the court since seventh grade. "I like helping people repair the damage that has been done." Eighth-grader Bailey Bowler believes the program works because stu- dents listen to each other. "I'm one of them. Sometimes it helps to hear something from a class- mate rather than from an adult." During the proceedings, adults let students run the show. "I don't make decisions — the students do," says Junker. "I only jump in if it's unjust." P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y S C O T T B U S C H M A N K a re n J u n ke r write s down po ssible w ay s to re solve Pedro's case. She developed the Peer Cour t program using a "re storative justice" approach. Above righ t: Pedro's father, Victoriano, looks on. www.cta.org 45 M A R C H 2 0 1 4 Educator 03 Mar 2014 v2.0 int.indd 45 3/6/14 10:53 AM