Lawmakers are considering a measure to overhaul restorative justice policies in Nevada's public schools. The reform is among Republican Governor Joe Lombardo's top priorities for the 2023 legislative session.
Lawmakers first adopted restorative justice policies in 2019 as an alternative to more traditional punishments for disciplinary issues.
Instead, some educators and school administrators say the policies have increased behavioral issues, making classrooms unsafe for students and teachers.
Assembly Bill 330 would repeal some of those policies, giving school administrators more flexibility in suspending or expelling students.
Lombardo, who last year campaigned on a promise to clamp down on school violence, presented the measure to lawmakers.
"While well intended, [it] 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. The data is clear. We don't need any more victims of school violence," he said.
Several school administrative groups, including the Nevada Association of School Superintendents, support the measure.
However, some educators and civil rights groups argue the policies were never fully implemented, and AB330 would give teachers less say in handling disciplinary actions in their classrooms.
