Culturally Responsive Restorative Leadership in Education: Necessary Dilemmas for Transforming Schools

Culturally responsive restorative leadership centers restorative justice as a process for school transformation. This book draws upon nearly a decade of combined fieldwork in public secondary schools across the country, helping the reader unpack challenges that leaders face as they implement restorative practices in their schools. Chapters explore the most common pressures facing leaders--within the school community and beyond--and how leaders can use these challenges as opportunities to reinforce their commitment to and purpose for restorative practices. This book helps principals earn buy-in from their school community, implement sustainable restorative systems, increase equity, and promote school cultural transformation. Chapters also include prompts for reflection to help the reader brainstorm how to approach these challenges in their own contexts. This is a timely and important book for aspiring and practicing educational leaders.

Hilary A. Lustick is Assistant Professor of Research and Evaluation in Education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA. She has consulted with school districts, state agencies, and universities across the US to support sustainable restorative practice implementation.