Books written by our Justice Labs Education team. Get your copies today.
Leading in the Belly of the Beast: School Leadership in a System Designed to Fail
Leading in the Belly of the Beast is an anthology of essays from transformational school leaders around the country who lead in a school system that is not set up for the success of their students, namely students of color and students living in poverty. The book highlights leaders who begin from the premise that the institution of school/system of education in the United States, since its inception, has been established to maintain the racial, cultural, and economic status quo – and to maintain divisions among these racial, cultural, and class groups. These leaders use this very assertion as a foundation for their transformational leadership from within the system.
Leading in the Belly of the Beast includes the voices of six educators in a variety of positions of school leadership, from principals and deans to teacher leaders. The unifying experience of these leaders is that they all currently work in the context of a school and, therefore, have authentic and fresh experiences and expertise to share.
Discipline Over Punishment: Successes and Struggles with Restorative Justice in Schools
Discipline Over Punishment is an exploration of the transformative potential of restorative discipline practices in schools, ranging from the micro-level of one-on-one interactions with students to the macro-level of re-routing the school-to-prison pipeline and improving life outcomes for young people. Gardner, who continues to teach high school in Oakland, CA, has spent nearly 20 years innovating, struggling, and succeeding to implement various restorative justice practices in classrooms and schools around the Bay Area. Using classrooms and schools where he has taught and students, families and educators with whom he has worked, Gardner examines how restorative justice, as a set of beliefs and practices can be a force for justice and equity in our classrooms, schools, and beyond.
This is an impressive collection of essays by thoughtful and experienced educators on the complex challenges facing urban schools. Drawing on their practical and professional experience as leaders on the frontline of addressing the needs of our nation’s most vulnerable children, the authors share their insights and the lessons they have learned from doing this critical work. For school leaders, parents and educators of all kinds, this book will be an invaluable resource.
This book is a powerful and inspiring tool for educators who work within schools and educational institutions that enable inequality, disrespect students, and perpetuate failure. It is at the same time a rich source of examples of creative resistance, a guerrilla manual for progressive struggles and a call to action.
Our educational system can only claim success, to the degree that we can cultivate the talent of underdeveloped and alienated youth. We need practical examples of the kind of processes, procedures, and practices that enable teachers and administrators to provide the kind of support every child deserves in order to thrive. In his book, Discipline Over Punishment, Gardner shares from his extensive experience as a teacher who employs restorative justice practices with his students. Through moving narratives, what becomes clear is that growth happens for both students and teachers/administrators when as they learn how to explore what has happened in their respective lives rather than simply exploring wrong doing. When we listen deeply and find common humanity, barriers can be replaced with healthier relationships, and we build community.