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Topic: Restorative justice in Houston schoolsSource: Houston civic article / Q&A interviewWho: Anita Wadhwa, founder of Restorative Houston (started 2013)What it does: Uses talking circles to heal harm instead of just punishing studentsReading time: About 3-4 minutes
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Good first step: Share A parent, teacher, or school counselor you know
Hey, I read about something called restorative justice happening in Houston schools. Instead of just suspending kids, schools bring students together to talk things out. Thought you might want to know about it!
Restorative justice is an approach to school discipline that focuses on healing and understanding rather than punishment. Anita Wadhwa, founder of the Houston nonprofit Restorative Houston, explains how 'restorative circles' bring students and teachers together to talk through conflict, get to the root of problems, and repair relationships — so everyone can get back to learning.
A restorative circle gathers the people affected by a conflict — say, a student and a teacher — in a structured setting. A trained adult and a trained young person co-facilitate. Everyone follows shared agreements: one person speaks at a time, phones away, respectful body language. A 'talking piece' is passed around so each voice gets heard. The circle works through three questions: What happened? What was the impact? What can be done to make it right? The goal is for both sides to see each other as full human beings, not just roles, so they can move forward together.
If you are a parent, educator, or community member curious about restorative practices, start by learning the core idea: harm is a community responsibility, not just a rule violation to be punished. Talk with your school's counselor or principal about whether restorative circles are already in use. If they are not, you can point to Restorative Houston as a local resource with experience working in Houston-area schools. If your child is involved in a school conflict, ask whether a facilitated conversation between the parties is an option before a suspension is imposed.
No fixed date
Not location-specific
Restorative justice connects to broader conversations about school discipline disparities, student mental health, and teacher retention in Houston ISD and across the region. Fort Bend ISD has also weighed restorative practices, showing this is a live issue in multiple local districts. Community members interested in education equity, youth advocacy, or conflict resolution will find this topic relevant to those efforts.
Traditional discipline — like suspension — often sends a student back to the same classroom without resolving anything. Research suggests that Black, Hispanic, and low-income students receive harsher punishments more often than their classmates. Restorative practices aim to close that gap by replacing blame with dialogue. Wadhwa says 90 to 95 percent of restorative circles end in some form of understanding between the people involved.
