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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Blaise H., Youth Advocate from YA-YA Network, on Restorative Justice Funding
8:18:10
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136 sec
Blaise H., a 16-year-old high school junior, testified on behalf of the YA-YA Network and the Dignity in Schools Campaign, advocating for increased funding for restorative justice programs in schools. He shared a personal experience of racial discrimination by a teacher and the school's failure to address it adequately, emphasizing the need for better conflict resolution and mental health services in schools.
- Proposed $80 million investment to hire restorative justice coordinators in 500 schools
- Called for $16 million for specialized training for school deans, ongoing restorative justice training for staff, and creation of youth-adult restorative practices teams
- Emphasized the need to shift school culture away from security guards and police towards supporting student well-being through restorative justice-centered staff
Blaise H.
8:18:10
Good afternoon, Sheriff Joseph, council members, everyone.
8:18:13
My name is Blaise Hussain.
8:18:15
I'm 16, a junior in high school at Lower Manhattan, and I'm here from the Yaya Network organizing the Dignity in Schools Campaign for Restorative Justice Funding.
8:18:25
We are here to advocate for schools that are invested in the mental health and well-being of their students and for educators who show they care by taking accountability for their actions.
8:18:34
I'm going to tell you a story.
8:18:36
Sophomore year, my teacher engaged in behaviors that specifically targeted me.
8:18:41
She would single me out in uncomfortable ways, would inappropriately contact me and write me personal notes, spoke ill of me to other students, and all around it was a terrible experience for me to be in her class.
8:18:52
Without doubt, her treatment of me was motivated by the fact that I was the only visibly brown and Muslim student in her class.
8:18:58
My dean had my own dean had admitted to me that I was treated unjustly and in her own words, my treatment was racist and emotionally destabilizing.
8:19:08
Nothing was done for me after that that, and the teacher faced no punitive consequences.
8:19:13
She stole teachers today at my school, and just last week, I had to cross the street in the middle of running traffic just to avoid seeing her and further confrontation.
8:19:22
Because of the way my school failed me, I believe our schools need this restorative justice funding.
8:19:28
I propose that the city expand school based restorative justice and mental health services, including investing 80,000,000 and hiring school based restorative justice coordinators in 500 schools.
8:19:40
Additionally, I hope that public schools are public schools are given 16,000,000, which will go to specialized trainings for deans to of schools to resolve conflicts like mine, make ongoing restorative justice trainings available for all school staff and to the broader community of students and families, and create and compensate youth adult restorative practices and equity teams so our schools would have restorative justice curriculums.
8:20:07
It also incentivize active participation from the youth.
8:20:10
The culture of our schools need to shift away from the needs and the presence of security guards and cops to supporting the well-being of students through restorative justice center staff.
8:20:20
I implore you to take the voices of my peers and mine in account.
8:20:25
Thank you for your time.
Rita Joseph
8:20:26
Thank you.