Students, Teachers Rally for Restorative Justice and Funding Transparency

May 26, 2016 /

THERMAL, Calif. — On Tuesday night, students, teachers and eastern Coachella Valley community members rallied at the Coachella Valley Unified School District office for the final Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) public hearing.

Building Healthy Communities Eastern Coachella Valley (BHC ECV), a coalition of community organizations and east valley residents, partnered with the Coachella Valley Teachers Association (CVTA) to advocate for transparency in the funding process and to give input on funding priorities for CVUSD schools.

Prior to the LCFF hearing, BHC’s Schools Action Team asked to present a Restorative Justice Resolution at the board meeting but were not approved by the school board. Still, team members, parents and students waited more than two hours to give public comment at the hearing.

The resolution asked the CVUSD school board to adopt a comprehensive school climate policy for all CVUSD schools that included Restorative Justice practices, discipline practices that emphasize restorative ideologies over expulsions and suspensions. The Schools Action Team is currently piloting a Restorative Justice program at Bobby Duke Middle School with support from the school’s principal,vice principal, dean and several teachers.

Coachella Unincorporated spoke to people at the LCFF hearing Tuesday night to ask how they believe the LCFF funding should be invested. Read their responses here:

LValenzuela RJ

JAguilar RJ

VGonzalez RJVGonzalez RJ

BSalmeron RJ

AJimenez RJ

MLopez RJ

SHuazano RJ

MGonzalez RJ

 

Read more about Restorative Justice:

Parents Push for Restorative Justice

Mother of Four Helping Transform Education in the ECV