Kenora Catholic and Grand Council Treaty #3 are working together on a restorative justice system for students.
Youth Program Lead for Grand Council Treaty #3, Wanda Marshall, explained to trustees that the program is different from other forms of punishment.
“The goal of using restorative practices is not to dole out swift punishment for bad behaviour,” explains Marshall. “Instead, it allows the offender to face the consequences, react on and answer to what they’ve done and then propose how they plan to repair the damage to the relationship in a safe supportive and respectful environment.”
Marshall explained that restorative justice has gained considerable momentum over the last 20 years and has revealed very positive outcomes for both the victims and offenders including a reduction in reoffending.
Director of Education, Paul White spoke about the implementation of restorative justice in schools.
“I’ve seen this work in the past. Our goal is to decrease the amount of suspensions, keep kids in school, keep our kids moving forward and showing success and respect for all,” he said.
He added they want to train all their staff in the process of restorative justice. He says restorative justice has been in place for generations by Anishinaabe people and is a good alternative to corporal punishment.
Shelly Tom, First Nation, Metis and Inuit Education Coordinator added that the board had been wanting to implement a program of this nature for a while, and is looking forward to getting started.