The Project Chose Me!

In August 1996, while serving on active duty in the U. S. Navy, I traveled to South Africa in conjunction with my responsibilities as an Equal Opportunity Specialist and trainer while assigned to the Department of Defense (DOD) Equal Opportunity Management Institute (EOMI). This organization trains all military and civilian equal opportunity personnel employed by the Department of Defense. Following the release of Nelson Mandela from prison and his election as president of South Africa, EOMI served as consultants to the South African National Defense Force as they transitioned from an apartheid system to one of full integration. It was an interesting and challenging time in world history and I was fortunate to have experienced some of it at a personal level.

There was an opportunity to visit Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for eighteen of the twenty-seven years he was imprisoned.  I had a profound experience there that changed my life. Little did I know that experience would one day be the impetus for this project!

The ferry trip from Cape Town, South Africa, to Robben Island took about forty­-five minutes and it wasn’t long before I was standing in front of the cell where Nelson Mandela had spent so much of his life. It was a moving experience. The tour continued and while at the lime quarry, that had served as a work area for the prisoners I heard glasses clinking, silverware clanking and the sound of muffled voices bouncing off the water from a party boat into the quarry.  It was sort of shocking because it was otherwise eerily quiet. I will never forget those sounds that seemed intrusive and misplaced. As I stood in the lime quarry looking at a pile of stones that represented those who died at Robben Island, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of incredible loneliness and isolation. If I could hear these sounds of life; voices, laughter, and tinkling of dishes, then the prisoners of Robben Island would have also heard those sounds. Nelson Mandela would have heard life that he could hear but not participate.

Robben Island was primarily used as a maximum- security facility for political prisoners and most of them were there because they openly opposed and fought against the oppressive and racist practices of the apartheid system of South Africa.  In that moment, likely related to my own experiences of apartheid in the United States, I felt a connection to their experience of injustice, the harm that can occur to the human spirit and the righteous anger that can come from such an experience. It seemed to me that wrongful imprisonment compounded with the intrusion of life that you had little or no hope of returning was the ultimate example of “cruel and unusual” punishment   If ever there was a person who had reason to desire and seek retribution for past wrongs, it was Nelson Mandela.

After he was released and later elected as South Africa’s president Mandela embraced the principles of ubuntu as he led his nation through change and transition.  The philosophy of ubuntu, which embraces values that focuses on our common humanity and need for each other; restorative rather than retributive justice and a genuine concern for the good of others rather oneself when practiced helped to change a nation. This action by President Mandela offered a glimpse of the hope, I believe, that God has in us to live lives that reflects his restorative love.  I know it changed me.

I was six-months old when Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional. The ruling was viewed by my family and African American families throughout the country as a “gateway” to opportunity.  Unfortunately, it would be many years before American would respond to and comply with that ruling and the experiences of discrimination in education, employment and political systems were the norm rather than the exception for African American citizens. I grew up during the volatile time of the United States Civil Rights movement. I knew what it meant to be discriminated against based on race and I knew what it meant to be angry and desire my ideas of “justice.” The philosophy of ubuntu provided a new lens for me to view the issues of justice and reconciliation and in doing so I discovered as the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13, the more excellent way of agape love.

The philosophy of ubuntu goes beyond simply teaching disciplinary practices and embraces the concept of living a restorative life that is inclusive, interdependent and seeks the good for the whole community.  Although, not a direct translation, ubuntu can be likened in a Christian context to grace, forgiveness and reconciliation that are central to our faith.  The goal of this project is to offer tools that will reduce the incidents of bullying at Arlington Elementary School by employing the philosophy of ubuntu and teaching the students how they can apply the skills they learn to all areas of their life. It is in this context, Ubuntu: A Restorative Approach to Anti­-Bullying was created.

The Project

Arlington Elementary School and the congregation of Arlington United Methodist Church have a long-standing relationship that is rooted in the Duval Public School System’s Community Partners Program as well as the theological tasks and the social principles of the United Methodist Church. As a community partner, the congregation serves the students, staff and faculty in various capacities dependent upon the needs of the school.  Members serve as readers, assistance in grounds upkeep, teaching students how to grow their own garden as well as providing financial assistance for uniforms, school supplies, and special events. At the start of each new school year, during holidays and prior to the  last day of school the Community Partners team provides breakfast to the staff and faculty of AES.  Several of the members, including myself, are active members of the School Advisory Committee and the Parent/Teacher’s Association.

Ubuntu’s guiding characteristic is the importance of understanding and acknowledging our common humanity and connectedness. It is a way of living in community that affirms the whole without diminishing any individual person.[1] Ubuntu, like the practices of restorative justice, focuses on healing and reconciliation of broken relationships between individuals, communities and as demonstrated in South Africa, nations.  People who embrace and live the philosophy of ubuntu affirm and celebrate the successes of others, and are genuinely concerned with the well- being of the whole rather than themselves.  Ubuntu is central to the design, training and implementation of this project.

Unbuntu: A Restorative Approach to Anti-Bullying is a six-week curriculum that was specifically designed for Arlington Elementary School (AES) in response to increased incidents of bullying at all grade levels. It was important in the curriculum design that all grades were included and the curriculum and supporting materials were appropriate for each grade level (K-5).  The curriculum co-existed with the established morning meetings and was implemented at each grade level utilizing a common guide with grade specific supporting materials.  The curriculum was divided into six units with each unit building on the previous lesson.  The units are:

Unit One: Creating Community – “We Are Family” is the foundation for all other lessons.  Students are given a picture of themselves to add to the family photo that is posted in their class. It was important for students to be acknowledged as individuals and as part of a family.

Unit Two: Communications: “Talking Together” requires excellent listening skills. In this caption the students are learning the four parts of the “Communications Pie”, which included respectful listening, body language, tone of voice and words.

Unit Three: Ubuntu – “Learning and Living Together” introduces the students to the concept of ubuntu and restorative justice practices.  This kindergarten class embraced the concept with a cheer they created with their leader.  See video below:

Unit Four: When Bullying Happens – “Who’s Job Is It to Stop Bullying?” introduces students to a common definition of bullying (cyber-bullying) and the importance of understanding preventing and intervening when bullying happens is the responsibility of the family.

Unit Five: Circle Up – “Making Things Right” introduces students are  to the use of a “talking piece.” Listen below to this young student explain it use and purpose!

Unit Six: Peacemaking Children – “I am a Peacemaker” incorporates all of the previous lessons. Students connect the previous lessons to the skills required of peacemakers.  Each student was awarded a certificate acknowledging the achievement of their new skills as well a t-shirt identifying them as peacemakers.

Fifth Grade  We are Peacemakers

The curriculum was designed with the expectation that student learning would result in both short and long-term outcomes.  The short-term results include:

• A decrease in bullying at Arlington Elementary School
• A decrease in principal referrals for bullying and other disruptive behaviors
• An increase in academic performance at all grade levels
• An increase in school grade scores

Desired Long-term results include:

• Students with improved academic achievement
• Students with knowledge to recognize and respond appropriately when they are being bullied
• Students with life skills to stand up for others when they witness bullying or other oppressive behaviors in their school and/or community.

Research Reflections

The issue of bullying and its impact on the lives of children, families and communities is a social issue that transcends socio-economic, ethnicity and racial constructs and has been identified by the Center for Disease Control as an urgent public health problem.[2]

In response to the increasing numbers of bullying incidents, schools in rural, urban and suburban communities across the United States have increased in and after school programming focusing on anti-bullying and the prevention of violence. Most of these programs are developed for middle and high school students where bullying, especially cyber-bullying incidents occur.

While some schools have increased the scope of punishment for students breaking the rules or employ a zero-tolerance approach, others have transitioned from the traditional retributive justice to a restorative approach to school discipline.  There is a plethora of literature and research on employing restorative practices in middle and high schools as an alternative to the traditional retributive or zero- tolerance policies to address school discipline. There is much less information available on restorative practices at the elementary school level, creating a gap in literature for this age group and this research did not reveal a reason for the gap. This is particularly evident with the lower grades kindergarten through second grade.

This project proclaims that restorative justice practices can be employed as an approach to the issue of bullying (cyber-bullying) and should be implemented in elementary schools. Elementary school is a critical time of human values development and restorative justice practices teach children to resolve breaches, restore relationships and provide life skills that go beyond the schoolyard and focus on living in community.

The curriculum was successfully implemented.  The immediate results of short-term goals; to decrease the number of bullying incidents and principal referrals, were excellent. The principal reported that the number of bullying incidents dropped significantly from eighteen in the previous year to five incidents for the same time-frame of August to December 2016. She was confident that the information the students learned during the anti-bullying training had a positive impact on the students and faculty as a catalyst to the decline.

The impact of the restorative approach to anti-bullying was not restricted to the students of AES. The facilitators were profoundly impacted by their interaction with the students. Several of the male facilitators have offered to serve as mentors to boys they encountered. This was especially true in the case of John, who did not know the name of his father. For the first time, a few of the facilitators stood face to face with children whose lives were radically different from their own and they were humbled by the experience. The involvement with the students of AES also prompted a few facilitators to get involved with the church’s Wednesday night programming where we serve up to sixty community youth each week.

The most profound outcome of the project is not the success of implementation or the decrease in the number of bullying incidents at Arlington Elementary School. The best possible outcome has proven to be the awakening of minds and hearts of facilitators who were transformed not by their experience but by the experiences of the children they served. To be transformed by the experiences of others leads to a deeper understanding of the mission of the church and what it means to do what God requires: to love mercy, do justice and walk humbly with God as they serve their community.

Major Findings and their Implications

The claims of this project, that restorative justice practices can be employed as an approach to the issue of bullying (cyber-bullying) and should be implemented in elementary school is supported by the results of this project.  That claim is further supported by follow-up training presented three months after the initial training and an introductory session for new AES students.

In the review session, students could identify and explain the major concepts of ubuntu, effective communications processes and, with prompting recall the four restorative questions. The kindergarten students who helped to create the ubuntu cheer, remembered it and eagerly taught it to their older classmates. They also reported that bullying still happened and they were more confident on how they could respond when confronted with bullying behaviors. The new students did not receive the full presentation. They received information on the meaning of ubuntu, the communications pie and heard the story of The Recess Queen, written by Alexis O’Neill, one of the books used during Unit 4, “When Bullying Happens.”  Although the newly enrolled students received a shortened version of the course they responded positively and like their classmates enjoyed the story.  Their responses and abilities to demonstrate they understood the information again affirms the proclamation of this project.

This project affirms that elementary school children as young as kindergarten are capable of understanding there are alternative methods to conflict resolution; they can learn at an early age to model behaviors that value others without diminishing their own sense of self-worth and most importantly they can be catalysts of peace in their classrooms, homes, and community.

What’s Next for this Project?

The goal to increase in school grades, that is determined by results of mandatory state testing, will be incorporated into the goals of the Community Partner Team as well as the desired long-term goals previously described.  By including them as “Next Steps” for this project it becomes an integral component of the services we can offer to Arlington Elementary School. In this way, the connection between the school, church and community is nutured and strengthened.    Additionally, it has illumined a shortfall of services in the Arlington community for students and their parents that are designed to increase student learning and academic achievement.  The Community Partners Team has placed on its summer agenda to explore how Arlington United Methodist Church along with other community organizations might collaborate and work together to address and eliminate those gaps to student academic success.

 

Rev. Arlindall Burks, Senior Pastor, Arlington United Methodist Church

[1] Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness (Image, 2000), 30–32.

[2] “Understanding Bullying Factsheet 2016 – Bullying_factsheet.pdf.”

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