“As someone who has lived through being wrongfully accused and incarcerated as a child, this book strongly resonated with me. I particularly appreciate that it not only discusses the over-criminalization of young people, school pushout, and incarceration of children and young people, but also on solutions to those harsh realities. Students deserve safe, affirming and culturally sensitive educational environments where kids can be kids instead of being criminalized for age appropriate behavior. This book is a must read for every single aspiring educator so that they are better prepared to break the cycle of harm and racism that exist in school communities and in the education system.”

Raymond Santana, Exonerated Five

“Practicing Restorative Justice is a book that offers a compassionate and compelling approach for Aspiring Educators who wish to understand and dismantle structural racism in the US education system. The book presents a diverse range of voices and perspectives, clarifying the underlying values and practical methods for implementing genuine restorative justice practices. As such, it provides an important contribution to literature for those who seek to change education, from a tool of oppression and discrimination to a tool of liberation. This book is an excellent resource for Aspiring Educators and education justice organizers alike.”

Dmitri Holtzman, Education Justice and Youth organizer; Senior Fellow at Race Forward and Founder of Earthseed International

“An inspiring and practical resource, this book offers a comprehensive perspective on the transformative power of restorative justice in education. Grounded in concrete examples, compelling stories, and insightful data, it equips aspiring educators and administrators with the tools to dismantle punitive culture, and center deep relationships instead. A must-read read for all in the field of education.”

Cierra Kaler-Jones, Executive Director, Rethinking Schools

“Practicing Restorative Justice: Real Solutions to Address Racism in Our School Communities Using Anti-Racist Strategies offers tangible actions to address the pervasive issue of racism in classrooms across the country. Through the contributions of several insightful educators, this groundbreaking work navigates the intersection of restorative justice and anti-racism, providing actionable strategies for dismantling systemic racism within school environments and in the larger society. By emphasizing accountability, healing, and community building, this book empowers educators to create inclusive and equitable learning spaces where every student feels valued and supported. With a keen focus on restorative justice principles and anti-racist frameworks, Practicing Restorative Justice serves as a roadmap for meaningful change, inspiring a culture of respect, understanding, and belonging in our schools nationwide.”

Ismael Jimenez M.Ed., Director of Social Studies Curriculum, The School District of Philadelphia Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

“A powerful book that rightly conceptualizes restorative justice as a praxis that seeks to broadly rethink education for a transformative future. Although focused on aspiring educators, it is a book for anyone wrestling with the question: what is to be done?”

Dr. Ricardo Rosa, Director of Training & Professional Learning, Massachusetts Teachers Association

“Practicing Restorative Justice is a masterpiece! Practicing restorative justice in American schools must involve Indigenous, Black, White, Asian, Latinx, Middle-Easterners, and all others understanding that we have all been socialized to affirm, serve, and uphold White supremacy, anti-non-Whiteness, and anti-Blackness. This means that the mere reality of educating our students using the Eurocentric English language perpetuates forced assimilation and dehumanization. Training Black children in subjects that only teach them how to serve worldwide White supremacy, modern-day White American plantation owners and capitalist who control and oversee America’s tech plantations, government, and all big business industries, is an insult to the humanity and spirits of Black children. Instead, we must focus on the liberation of our children’s minds, hearts, and bodies. This can only occur through learner-centered education, which focuses on the histories of African people outside of colonized conceptualizations and prisms which continue in service to Black dehumanization, while simultaneously legitimizing white psychopathology and delusion. We must inspire African American children to learn, and this means they should learn about the history of African/African-American people from African/African American people, similar to how White people have opportunities to learn about White people from predominantly White people. Black children must fully understand who they are in order for this reality to flourish. They must understand who African people were before contact with European people nations. Black children must understand who and what African people became after contact with European White people. If we do not educate and empower African American children in ways that boost their self-esteem and validate their experiences in America, the American education industrial complex will continue to exploit them, ultimately resulting in the genocide of the Black race. As we reform our ideals, beliefs, and ideas about education, we must also redesign educational models. White people learning about the accurate history of whiteness in America, is at the root of this reformation, along with establishing a meaningful understanding about the infinite ways whiteness has been and continues to be weaponized across all American institutions. Without taking these critical steps, along with other steps highlighted throughout this book, America dooms Black children. Practicing Restorative Justice provides educators, students, parents and larger society a profound learner-centered educational justice roadmap. A landscape built upon justice-centered strategies, practices, and reimagining the reality of prioritizing human beings rather than White American institutions and egos. The authors and editors of this book have produced a most masterful work that educators should embrace everywhere across America.”

Dante D. King, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medical Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Owner/CEO, Dante King Consulting & King of Kings Consulting, LLC

“In Practicing Restorative Justice, Erika Chavarria and the authors of this outstanding edited volume, provide research that cultivates the much needed consciousness (mindset) and competence (skillset) to transform schools and society. This book is a must for serious educators and leaders to understand and implement restorative practices.”

Chike Akua, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, Clark Atlanta University, Author of "Education for Transformation: The Keys to Releasing the Genius of African American Students"