Race-based Student Discipline Introduced In American Schools

The Tucson Unified School District in Tucson, AZ has developed a 52-page plan called "Restorative School Culture and Climate" which establishes a race-based system of student discipline (see the II. Discipline heading on page 25 of the document).

According to the plan, the "Department of Student Equity" will work to "minimize referrals and suspensions, especially those of African-American and Hispanic students," by implementing disciplinary policies that demonstrate a "commitment to social justice."

The Department of Student Equity will review monthly suspension/expulsion data by school and investigate disparities among black and white students. Where disparities are found, the school district will "take immediate action... to correct them."

Schools will be directed to use "restorative practices" to reduce racial disciplinary disparities, and every year the Department of Student Equity will offer professional development training to school staff on how to implement such practices.

I wasn't familiar with "restorative" practices, so I looked it up on Wikipedia:

"Restorative justice is a broad term which encompasses a growing social movement to institutionalize peaceful approaches to harm, problem-solving and violations of legal and human rights.. Restorative resolutions engage those who are harmed, wrongdoers and their affected communities in search of solutions that promote repair, reconciliation and the rebuilding of relationships. Restorative justice seeks to build partnerships to reestablish mutual responsibility for constructive responses to wrongdoing... Restorative approaches seek a balanced approach to the needs of the victim, wrongdoer and community through processes that preserve the safety and dignity of all."

In other words, when a black student viciously beats a white classmate on a school bus he won't be punished. Instead, the two will take part in a mediated dialogue to examine the root cause of the conflict and establish mutual responsibility. The mediator will conclude the black student lashed out in response to racism, and the white student will be told that if he agrees to be less racist maybe the black student will keep his hands to himself in the future.