Superintendent loves statistics, except when he doesn't love them that is. (rough draft)

From News4Jax

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said that this was a way to keep students in a learning environment if possible.

“From the baseline year, we've seen a 9,600 percent increase in restorative justice practices and a 622 percent increase in the use of behavioral contracts. Nationally, what's happening throughout country, is an emphasis on restorative justice and behavioral contracts rather than removing the student from the learning environment,” Vitti said.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/school-fights-spark-proposed-duval-county-code-of-conduct-changes/34506662

Wow a 9,600 percent increase form the base year, geeze louse, that's superintendent of the year level improvement there, well I mean except for the baseline year started with 23, now that's still over 2,000 instances when the district said it used Restorative Justice this past year, again except I have talked to admins at schools who have heard of restorative justice but have never used it in their schools.

Then there is behavior contracts, oy vey, behavior contracts the discipline technique created by people who never spent a day in the classroom or met a kid. Look I get it, they sound great, make a list of improvements we would like to see, throw in a few rewards or consequences depending on how they do and have the kid sign it, except as someone who has participated in a few dozen behavior contracts I have found the return on investment is generally disappointing. Oh Mr. G I signed a piece of paper saying I would do my work and not disrupt class, yeah, my mom and the dean were in the room, I would have signed anything.   

I could go on but.

All right superintendent Vitti since you love data so much what about the data that says resignations are up 30 percent under your watch, or that Teach for America is the number one exacerbater of teacher turnover, or merit pay scams don't work, or yeah I could go on here too. You have a way of using data that is convenient and dismissing data that is not.

There are actual parts of restorative justice I can get behind as long as children also get a consequence for their behavior. It should be like probation, okay we're not going to come down to hard on you this time but if you mes up, you get double. I am also all for getting behind the root of poor behavior which often has nothing to do with school. I have long called for more social workers, guidance counselors and mental health professionals but I think they also must accompany a consequence for poor behavior.

My main concern is like many things Duval does, it is doing restorative justice half ass, hiding behind BS statistics instead of fighting for results.

9,600 percent of my readers agree with me.