James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S.Senate in Texas, once framed disciplinary practices in schools as an outflow of the ideas behind criminal justice reforms he hoped lawmakers would implement in Texas."I’m recently excited about the formation of a bipartisan criminal justice reform caucus in the Texas House with prominent Democrats and prominent Republicans who understand that we have to move away from a tough-on-crime approach to a smart-on-crime approach, and that, I think, filters down to our schools," Talarico said in a 2020 interview on school disciplinary practices and their effect on minorities.Talarico’s train of thought from criminal reform laws to changes in educational discipline demonstrates his underlying beliefs about moving away from punitive corrections.SOROS NETWORK REBUILDS PROGRESSIVE PROSECUTOR PUSH AFTER STRING OF ELECTION LOSSESDemocrat candidate for US Senate James Talarico speaks during a rally in San Antonio, Texas, on May 29, 2026.
((Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images))Talarico fleshed out his view, detailing how the changes would affect the educational system."[We are] starting in elementary school, where we really pursue restorative practices that are going to rehabilitate our students who are suffering from trauma, our students who are feeling unsafe in school and our students who harm a classroom community."Talarico was referring to "restorative justice," a view that links misbehavior to past personal and emotional experiences.In the words of Texas Appleseed, a group that promotes "social, economic and racial justice," restorative justice in education emphasizes the relational cost of conflict as a way to deter future bad behavior.
"Restorative Justice, when applied to a school setting, focuses on how student behavior has harmed others and how to make amends.Schools use it to build community and strengthen student–school connections," the group wrote in a definition submitted to lawmakers.The approac...