The Bedford School Board spent substantial time debating whether the phrase "restorative justice" should appear in a proposed update to the district's student-discipline policy.

Some board members said they had received a constituent complaint that the phrase carried political or social connotations and recommended removing or rewording it. "Restorative justice is not about consequence," one trustee said during debate, urging clarity that the district's practice is educational and not punitive. Another member suggested the district use alternative wording to avoid unintended associations.

Administrators and staff pushed back that the practice — described in the meeting as facilitated meetings, mediated conversations and educational follow-ups to repair harm — already exists in Bedford schools, particularly at the elementary level. "We do this," a district official said, noting that restorative approaches are used for incidents that affect other students and that alternatives, such as diversion or educational programming, are common in the district's handling of certain incidents.

The board did not adopt a final change during the meeting. Superintendent Mike Fournier and staff said they would revisit the language, consult with school administrators (including high school staff who use restorative practices), and return with a reworded proposal in July that attempts to "thread the needle" between accurately describing current practice and addressing concerns about terminology.

Ending — Staff will bring revised policy language back to the board at a future meeting; no vote to remove or replace the term occurred at this session.