There are two active bills in the legislature right now addressing increasing violence in Nevada's schools, but they're coming from different competing approaches.
AB285, led by Assembly Democrats, builds on a 2019 Restorative Justice Law that addressed the disproportionate rates and severity of suspension and expulsions affecting students of color, and decreases the so-called "school to prison pipeline". It takes a non-punitive more compassionate approach. The concept of the restorative justice law is that the best thing for a child displaying behavioral issues, in most circumstances, is to keep that child still engaged in the educational process, while also getting rehabilitated and restored back into the classroom.
However, some teachers’ unions, associations, and educators say that since the 2019 law, violence in Nevada schools has gotten worse.
Data shows that violence is up, with the Governor's office showing a report of more than 7,400 violent incidents in Washoe County School District in 2022/23.
And, so AB330, dubbed the "Safer and Supportive Schools Act" from the Governor’s office, takes a zero-tolerance approach to violence. It would make it principals and superintendents would remove the statewide restorative justice framework.
"Like I said in my State of the State address I believe that AB168, while well-intended has led to this increase in dangerous situations in schools across the state. It handcuffs teachers and administrators leaving them powerless to address habitually misbehaving and violent students,” said Governor Joe Lombardo while testifying in support of AB330 during a March 23rd Assembly Committee on Education.
Proponents of maintaining Nevada’s statewide restorative justice framework acknowledge that improvements need to be made to the 2019 legislation.
Central among their arguments against the Governor's call to repeal the law, is that restorative justice never got fully implemented due to COVID-19 hitting shortly after it was passed.
A lifelong educator, Democratic Assemblywoman Dr. Angie Taylor is leading AB285.
“So, what my bill does is say, hey, what is that nuance between continuing to provide support that students need when there is a behavior issue, when they are showing out. That there does need to be some discipline. That child needs support, right. That child needs better tools. But, the school also needs to be able to have educational process going on for all the other children, and that child too by the way, and the teacher needs to be able teach in an environment that is safe,” explained (D-Reno) Assemblywoman Dr. Angie Taylor.
There are many more policy aspects to both bills, and we will continue to cover the legislation and talk with lawmakers in the coming weeks in the final stretch of the 2023 Nevada Legislative Session.
