i feel that is because of the program of restored to discipline. the committee felt that they were going to be heard. >> such an important question, and i want to stipulate, we need to do so much better, but when we start our sap, for instance, one of the things that we did is due town hall meetings. we have town hall meetings. what does that mean? this is in the context of those who are incarcerated and how we can engage with the men and women in the various communities, so we have town hall meetings saying this is what we're doing. you are paying for this. we want to share with you what is going on behind these walls.

what the men and women are doing to get back on track, where we are trying to do to invest in their success. and what is it you what? this is what we feel the men and women need. they need jobs. they need to be part of the community centers, etc., and then we went after town hall meetings. there are numerous other no more tears mothers, murder victims, engaging in the outside community. we have a strike of violence day at the ballpark to raise awareness about random violence, would be or actual perpetrators. those types of things to help us. i have least one to say something to be fair.

commissioner maufas: 54 that. i think the shift started when we started doing restorative justice, but in that, i am saying that restored the justice is based on the idea of holding hearings about what their concerns are, seeing them, as you said, as a whole individual, and addressing their concerns. we actually took the time to listen and ask what they needed, ask what their concerns were. a lot of the things up to that point kept it as an institution versus an institution, that started to shift. the students started to realize that we really believed in that, that we're really 100% behind them. not only men, but when they got out, helping them going back into their communities when they got out, continuing their education. really using the principles of restored to justice, that is how happened, because it is about

as caring and sharing and reaching to each person, so it is holistic in that way, so and that happening is that the students are impacted by the fight. they want that situation, even if the individual has been done. they might need the opportunity to address that. we use the video conferencing. this is another way to connect. in the past, what we have done in the juvenile system, folks cannot come in and meet face to face. we have really seen that should happen, and i want to believe that that is because a process that includes everyone takes time. we wanted to make sure that all

of the key players wanted to be on board, and for those who did it working for them, allowing space for that. i think that is the challenge, to really recognize restored to justice. it may not be where we all want them to be, but as part of the community, we recognize that. commissioner maufas: thank you very, very much. i attended something last week. it is everything that graduations were supposed to be. there were tears of joy. thank you for your hard work. we really do appreciate it. president kim: thank you.

vice president mendoza? vice president mendoza: when we have students that are not violent offenders, a student who defaces property who does not take ownership of it, that can be addressed. so i guess my two examples would be something that we have had to deal with. >> we have had issues of graffiti.

there is the time, the supplies, materials, and in this case, along with the victim, how can you restore equity? so they come up with ideas. if i got paid at minimum wage, it would be x amount of dollars. the whole idea is to get the students to c.b. perspective, what his or her actions mean. a lot of people are involved.

the privileges being restricted. it is a process when i think of maybe another system, charging a fine, but the whole dialogue as part of the learning experience. >> i think the same holds true with truancy. that is also another conversation. in a traditional school, you have some kids that are late. there are some you want to have in the class, and they show up 10 minutes late. this makes no sense to me, but it happens.

have we make those changes in our school so that you're not basically modeling when they are modeling. and i have one more question after this. >> in an instance, they make a mistake. hopefully, they will make better decisions. the office or the custodian, explaining the process, they will be held accountable or have to face a judge and tell the truth. i do not think children see

everything as a long-term process. >> if i may just undercorp. who -- underscore? the example about graffiti. the person who has to do that, even taking a few steps further, he or she may have had a do-over time. have the kids come in. what is that like? it is so far reaching. but i think he would agree, kids, empathy, really getting to the core is empathy. what we have seen with the most

hardened criminals. those, against all odds are capable of doing that. commissioner maufas: a lot of the adults say -- sorry. so my last comment or a situation, this is where we unfortunately sent it through 12th grade, so we have a school that has a mix mashed of kids.

we have been trying to kind of balance that out. we are trying to get them to continue with their studies, and the classes are constructive, just a variety of things going on. for all of the students that are there, i.d.'s wonder what that looks like. all of the men have had some type of violent behavior. not all of our kids have violent behavior. how do you work with students of different age, with different histories, with different violations? they're all housed in one location. >> i think the critical component is peer mediation. we have peer mediators, older

kids working with younger kids, trying to resolve issues, and like i mentioned earlier, it is very proactive, where they facilitate when there is conflict rising. they will seek out those individuals. having the resources available, training the students, and also having them visible. it identifies them as such. seeking them as a resource to resolve conflict. it is visible. there is conflict. president kim: commissioner

fewer? commissioner fewer: we have been working very hard about how to be convinced a culture of restored to discipline and apply it? and so, their discussions around how we change this in this climate. as you say, is punitive. how do we change it to be a restorative network. so as we're building it, we're just not doing that. all of those students support services r we have.

so i am wondering if you can tell me a little bit about your system that actually helps the support this -- restorative work. as you briefly just mentioned, there is a culture of the school in general, how adults interact with each other. is it respectful? how do we change that sort of culture? things that you have to do that are an imperative in doing this type of thing? >> well, let me give you an example. when i first came there, all the restorative discipline was the program, it was implemented in various degrees. some teachers did it. others did not really use it.

we created a respect agreement as to how we are going to respect one another. you have to share with you have done as a teacher. how many agreements have you done?

we used it. >> yes, there are four options.

the third or fourth options. there are options were the parties involved decide things. so we invite the students for a party. >> i hate to make an analogy of jails and education, but my world is incarceration. imagine a changing climate of incarceration into a more

restorative humane environment, and what was said, and you really have to underscore this, training, training, training, not only the usual suspects but everyone. there was no small roles. we started with one dormitory, and we have several now, and we want to make this more of the world, not the exception. training is critical. -- more of the rule. >> we had to do the work with staff before we even thought about going into the classrooms. you really have to address the underbelly of things that go on in the staff culture the way that staff does not use restrictive practices in their own eyes or their own interaction or communication, so if you do not address that

first, then it is actually counterproductive to go into the classroom. president kim: i had some questions, as well. pashtun this is that we are just a large school district. whether to do it and a few schools or all schools, also understanding -- particularly those that interface with our discipline process, we do not want there to be inconsistency. so that is another challenge. and in the final challenge, a budget of $113 million. really comprehensive developments.

i want to hear more about what we do. is it important to have someone at the school site? or is it the professional development? given the constraints that we have, are their suggestions? some things we should be focusing on? >> of course, it is difficult with the limited resources. the idea that you could read the book and a good chapter by chapter, using it and then

coming back and reflecting on it. so it is critical that you have that. an individual staff member that is respected and somebody that people will listen to. >> i just want to add that what we did is deleveraged our internal resources. we look to those people who either internally had expertise or had desire, so in the district, there are different degrees, rolling out some things there, or finding folks that are interested or excited, and seeing some successes then help bring questioning in, so we can join in any effort you guys are doing in that regard. >> -- president kim: it would be

good to get the resources. we have a restorative justice task force. they would bring in different players, the different elementary, middle, high school levels, someone from the d.a.'s office, parents, students in the room, but there was no common definition of restorative justice, and everyone kind of comes in with their own impression of what it is, because it is too words that people -- two words that people have their own definitions of. and they think, "this is restored to justice, and so is this, and so is this." -- this is restorative justice. the definitions are different from one another. one of the things that was most important is that everyone has

to come together and kind of buying in. -- buy in. you cannot just tell people, "this is how we are going to do it from now on," because that would be anti-restorative justice. as a policymaker, i want to say that this is how we're going to do it, and let's get it done, let's make it happen. i have a level of impatience. then, on the other hand, i want to do it correctly, and i want everyone to have a say in how this process is implemented. so i-your thoughts on that, kind of balance. -- so i guess, your thoughts on that, kind of balance. >> i share and i certainly recognize -- i am pretty hard

line about it. there is not a finite approached by any means, but the definition, and oranges and orange, and a peach is a peach, but the fundamental principles are offender accountability and two principals. those are the three finite principles. some would say, this is restored to justice, but, no, that is rehabilitation. rehabilitation focuses on those who need to address their struggles and deficiencies said they can come out more pro social and negotiated outside community, and there is nothing wrong with that, but that is rehab. rehabilitation. restoration is engaging those three principles. that is what the data says. what gets tricky with the

approach, you are quite right, we sometimes are and to set a goal -- are mandating people, which is opposite of the restorative system, says stepping back, we do a hybrid of restorative justice. i would not call it pure restorative. we demand a people. the principles we have a pretty solid, which would be accountability, the voice of the victim, and more and more community involvement. so you are right, they're different shapes and sizes in how you approach it. you know, there seems to be a consensus here. the internal resources are very important, especially with budget constraints. there are other, there is the

veterans program using the principles of the restorative justice. we did not have one nickel to do it. we cut corners on training. but we are doing grants. by any legal means necessary. the sheriff's department. so the internal resources are important. the national institute of corrections that we have in our backyard is an incredible resource, too. but the task force -- i think it is real important, the leadership of this, to be able to bridle some of the enthusiasm. not bridal it, but being able to say this is the direction we are going to take. these are the definitions. let us call it like it is.

the sheriff and i were talking. if we could change the culture of the deputy chair of -- of the deputy sheriffs, who lived and trained to lock people up and never talk to people in a way of saying, "what is going on? how can i help?" it is a very entrenched community and occupation. and they go home, at kicking and screaming, reporting that it is not a real jail. it is more humane. he said, "i come home at night and engage more with my kids instead of sitting in front of the tv." these discussions need to be more fleshed out. we are happy to do it off line as well.

superintendent garcia: it is really difficult to do these types of things by committee. you stated -- anywhere these things i have seen it be effective is you get people who are interested in doing them. you start -- we are a large district. you're not going to implement this inequality, saying everybody is going to do it. we have history to prove that we are failures at implementing things on that scale. if we are going to do this right, we need to identify schools that are interested in the process, work with those schools as pilots to develop them. once they start working, use that method. go around. nothing succeeds like success. we have invited you here. say hi to everyone in fresno. i used to be superintendent

there. i know your community well. when we are trying to do those types of things here, we need to get people -- once people know that it works, other people want to try it. they see the success rate of it. that is why we brought you here. it is working for you. sooner or later, if we start a little bit smaller and encourage people with resources, as a motivator they can get additional things if they get into this. i think we would get a lot of people stepping up. let us champion them. let us support them and let them on it. if it is small scale, it is easy to provide great training. it is easy to get people committed to making it work. we are trying to take a quantum leap forward. i