Student board proposes youth-court pilot to offer restorative option for repeated misbehavior

Student board member Sil Carakanis outlined a proposal June 9 for a youth court restorative-justice pilot intended to provide an alternative to suspensions for some repeated student misconduct.

Carakanis said the program model will accept principal referrals and require parent consent; the youth jury would be composed of students from the district's three high schools while the pilot court itself would operate at Williamsville East High School beginning in January. Cases suggested for the pilot include property vandalism, forgery and spectator misconduct; proposed sanctions primarily would be supervised community-service hours approved by the district. Carakanis said applications to serve on the jury would open in the fall and successful jurors could serve for all four years of high school.

Carakanis acknowledged confidentiality is a concern and said the district will draft confidentiality agreements. He cited discussions with a judge who previously ran a youth court in the district, who described benefits when peers, rather than adults, convey consequences and expectations. Board members asked clarifying questions and the student-led presentation team said the youth-court pilot will be added to the July 1 agenda for board consideration alongside other extracurricular approvals.

The proposal remains a pilot and would require additional policy, confidentiality safeguards and board approval before implementation. Supporters framed it as a restorative alternative to repeated suspensions that centers student voice and accountability.