Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kimberly G., Student and Restorative Justice Youth Leader from Brooklyn School for Social Justice
8:52:04
ยท
110 sec
Kimberly G., a student and restorative justice youth leader, testifies about the importance of restorative justice in schools and advocates for full funding of restorative justice programs while divesting from school police. She shares personal observations of discrimination and the positive impact of restorative justice in her school community.
- Highlights the negative effects of discipline and policing on students, particularly those from marginalized communities
- Describes how restorative justice programs teach accountability, empathy, and build trust within the school community
- Urges the city to fund and expand restorative justice programs in all schools to create accountable, safe, and caring learning environments
Kimberly G.
8:52:04
Good afternoon everyone.
8:52:06
My name is Kimberly Gill and my pronouns are sheher.
8:52:09
I'm in the eleventh grade and I go to the Brooklyn School for Social Justice in Bushwick with Make the Road.
8:52:14
I am also a restorative justice youth leader at my school.
8:52:18
I'm here because I want to let the city know how important restorative justice is in school and that students want the city to fully fund restorative justice and divest from school police.
8:52:29
Discipline and policing creates barriers to learning and biologues to safety of well-being of students, particular particularly black, brown, immigrant, and trans young people who are targeted most by school police.
8:52:44
I have the I have seen this firsthand when people of my campus community have been judged and assumed to have malicious intent because of racial stereotypes.
8:52:52
I have seen administrators segregate and ridicule students because of the language they speak, and in turn, I have seen those students come to school less and less.
8:53:00
I have seen school safety challenge and harass students of color who don't speak English more than students who do speak English.
8:53:07
If students use RJ with administrators and school safety, we could interrupt the school to prison pipeline.
8:53:14
Restorative justice programs teach accountability and empathy.
8:53:19
I have seen RJ give students confidence in coming to school and having trust in our community to face unfamiliar situations, eventually building trust in themselves to face the day.
8:53:28
The RJ program at my school has allowed me to create community with peers and teachers from self regulation and meditation skills and to be part of a new family that I know cares for my education.
8:53:39
I feel safer at my school because I am an RJ leader.
8:53:43
Please fund and expand funding for restorative justice in all schools.
8:53:47
Please show us that you care about us, the youth of New York, by creating accountable, safe, and caring schools through restorative justice.
8:53:54
Thank you.