Greeting Radford Residents!

Recently, Radford City Public Schools have implemented "Bobcat Connections", an afterschool program self described as: 

1) Serving as an opportunity for students to receive one-on-one tutoring in any subject are in which they are struggling. 

2) Serving as a restorative practice for students who struggle to adhere to school expectations.  

While the first goal above seems perfectly appropriate and in line with the mission of a public school system, this petition takes issue with the second of the two goals.  

First, please familiarize yourself dear reader with the purpose of restorative practice and what it should like in schools (www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-ways-to-implement-restorative-practices-in-the-classroom/2020/01 When compared to the description of Bobcat Connections, the concern is easily detected. 

RCPS states that Bobcat Connections "will be used to reinforce expectations on concerns including, but not limited to: tardies, cell phones, classroom disruptions, and disrespectful behavior".

They explain that an example would be "spending an assigned afternoon working on academic content with a teacher", or another option would be community service, which can include "anything from helping the custodial staff to helping a teacher with a specific task or project".

If the student decides not to attend, there is further punishment - "An additional day will be assigned to that student" and "additionally, the student will be placed on social probation until the Bobcat Connections opportunities are successfully completed". 

Further, they state that "If the student were to continue to forgo the Bobcat Connections "opportunities" assigned to them for a second time, instead of a third day, the student will instead be assigned to our Bobcat Bridge program. The Bobcat Bridge program represents our alternative learning environment."

Radford, this is not conducive to building and/or restoring trust, communication, and feelings of positive regard that will foster healthy relationship between adults and our youth. This will perpetuate the behavioral challenges that are given as the reason for referral. This is not what connection and community should look like.

Please note the persuasive language used to frame this afterschool detention program as a positive restorative practice and consider the following questions - 

What kind of future residents do we want to produce?

Does programming like this meet that goal?

What children are being referred?

Does this program promote Equality and Equity? 

Is it actually Restorative?

Does it provide Connection?

Does it build Community?

 

Who are We going to Be Radford...

We have the power to Choose.

By singing this petition, you are calling upon Radford City Schools and the Radford City School Board to provide revision to this program immediately and to notify our community by public announcement of those revisions at the next school board meeting on November 9, 2021.