“A school should not feel like a prison. A school should feel positive, safe, and welcoming. A school should feel like a second home. As I walk through the doors of my school, I want to be treated with dignity, said Vernard Carter, a 10th-grade student and member of Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools, at a well-attended press conference held in July.

The Rethinkers know how to zero in on the basics. In 2007 and 2008, they tackled bathrooms and lunches with marked success; and now they are addressing safety and dignity. Specifically, the Rethinkers used their 2009 press conference to object to the placement of metal detectors on elementary school campuses and offer alternative solutions to addressing issues of safety and discipline on their campuses.

Rethink began in June 2006 as families staggered back from a year in exile to re-enroll their children in a city school system that was ailing before Hurricane Katrina, and now on life support. The New Orleans public schools had been largely taken over by the state, and there was much talk of “reinventing” them. What better time for the primary stakeholders—public school children—to claim a voice and create a culture of civic engagement among middle school youth in New Orleans and beyond.

With guidance, support and professional input from architects, engineers, and research scientists, Rethinkers have become an established part of the reform dialogue with clubs now at five schools and plans for more. For them it has been both a learning experience and deeply empowering. New Orleans

“A lot of people come to me with problems; very few come with answers,” Recovery School District Superintendent Paul Vallas said at a 2008 Rethink news conference. “The Rethinkers come to me with solutions, and I have no choice but to listen to them.”

School Of Our Dreams

The July 2009 press conference started out with a tour of the “school of our dreams” in which metal detectors are replaced with mood detectors, that is individuals who are perceptive, open and able to diffuse problems before the manifest or encourage positive behavior and responses. There is a “chill-out zone,” a place with filled sounds of running water, trees, and flowers to sooth frayed nerves. Peer leaders assist in a resolution circle to help resolve conflict and foster understanding, shared accountability, and allow negative emotions to shift into something better, dramatically decreasing out-of-school suspensions.

“If teachers get lounges, we should too,” the students said.

In the “school of our dreams,” student lunches include garden-fresh ingredients. And there are no Styrofoam trays or sporks, that useless plastic fork/spoon combination. Teachers are purposeful and business-like. They have high expectations. They know that motivation comes from patience and understanding. They don’t talk on their cell phones during tests or use disrespectful language toward students. And students get a chance to evaluate their teachers and their schools using benchmarks meaningful to them.
Pie in the sky, touchy/feely wishful thinking? Think again. Rethink has results, statistics and research to show that these solutions are not only possible and reasonable, but practical and cost effective as well. For instance, the Rethinkers cited the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) Summary of Findings and Recommendations from its examination of six New York City public schools that are successfully maintaining safety while simultaneously promoting a nurturing school environment. The schools all serve at-risk student populations and none have metal detectors. They’ve switched from zero tolerance policies where certain behaviors trigger severe, mandatory responses, to policies administered by educators with authority and responsibility. This takes discipline out of the hands of police personnel. Strong and compassionate leadership, clear lines of authority and open lines of communication between administrators, teachers, police personnel and students have produced good results. These schools have achieved a significantly higher than average attendance, student stability and graduation rates, as well as lower than average incidences of crime and school suspension.
In their report Safely with Dignity: Alternatives to Over-Policing of Schools, NYCLU found that zero tolerance doesn’t work and that it contributes to the school to prison pipeline.

“Children who are removed from the learning environment for even a few days are more likely to drop out, use drugs, face emotional challenges, become involved with the juvenile justice system and develop criminal records as adults,” the report reads.

The NYCLU recommends mandating alternatives to harsh discipline:

“The New York Department of Education should mandate training for all school staff in restorative justice practices—a conflict resolution method that focuses on providing opportunities for all sides of a dispute to define the harms caused by an act and to devise remedies.”

Fortunately, New Orleans has a burgeoning network of restorative justice practitioners, trainers and mediators who have experience working in schools, courts and neighborhoods. For more information about these, contact Community Mediation Services at 504-865-1619. More statistics about the efficacy of restorative practices in schools in the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain can be found at the International Institute for Restorative Practices website www.iirp.org.

Impact and response

The new food provider contract is a done deal, with provisions more palatable to Rethinkers. The Rethink architectural designs for a 21st Century “green” bathroom and cafeteria were accepted as part of the Public School Facilities Master Plan for the City of New Orleans.

At the July 2009 press conference, Paul Vallas agreed with and expanded the student-generated report card idea. He also supported the idea of peer mediation and making students a part of the security solution.

“Give us some guidance and direction about how we can improve school security,” Vallas told the students. “Rethink recommendations can be implemented within the resources we already have. Attitude and culture are more crucial than money.”

Although he did not agree to the Rethink’s recommendation to make the use of metal detectors optional in elementary schools, he did agree to continue giving some latitude to principals regarding their use. The Rethinkers will probably ask for some clarification on that.

Vallas plans to implement a student bill of rights, a student constitution including responsibilities for students and families. Attorney Tracie Washington is helping with that. Although he can’t afford to hire more social workers right now, he’s using many paraprofessionals – AmeriCorps, CitiYear and graduate students from universities to help teachers. Vallas said all teachers will be required to take on counseling responsibilities, organize clubs and enrichment activities, and serve as advisors.

It seems that Rethinkers are having an impressive impact on their schools and the future of our city. As they continue to dream big and act boldly, they remind all that leadership means power among peers, not power over them. And New Orleans schools and the city itself are better because of them.
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Orissa Arend is a psychotherapist, community organizer, mediator, and writer. You can reach her at arendsaxer@bellsouth.net.