Teachers of Color Implementing Restorative Justice Practices in Elementary Classrooms: A DisCrit Analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article provides case studies of two elementary school teachers of color who enact restorative justice practices in their classrooms, which include students of color with disabilities. Although the positive effects of restorative justice practices has been well-documented for general education classrooms, less is known about how restorative justice interacts with disability justice and accounts for disability and difference. Additionally, there has been little research on the influences of restorative justice practices with young children, including those in early elementary grades. In this study, we explored these gaps and how two teachers of color envisioned and enacted restorative justice practices. Disability Studies and Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) illuminates how teachers of color navigate structural racism and ableism through restorative justice practices in their classrooms. The article concludes with recommendations for building networks and community to resist institutional barriers to implementation.