When students get into conflicts with their classmates, sometimes it can feel like the only option they have is to get into a physical altercation.

However, there is a little unknown and often misunderstood program at Akins called Restorative Justice that gives students another way to deal with these conflicts.

Ivy Bell, who coordinates the Restorative Justice program at Akins, said she doesn’t expect students in conflict to become best friends, but that it’s possible to come up with a resolution and avoid violence or other disruptive incidents on campus.

“(It) doesn’t mean y’all be friends,” she said. “(It) means that we need to come up with a plan to move forward. You get your side out. They get their side out and we move forward and we come up with a goal.”

Bell said through the RJ program she is available to have conversations with students who just need someone to listen to the difficult experiences they’re having in room 231.

“(If) you’re having a day where you need a safe place to have a safe conversion or some support come on down,” stated Bell

Bell said the best part of her job is getting to talk to students.

“Y’all have some crazy stories and really getting to know how y’all feel and just helping y’all work on your problems,” she said.

Bell commented that her job can be challenging because she tries to check on everybody in need on campus but the campus is so big that she isn’t always able to talk to everyone that she wants to help.

“I do have a system but sometimes it doesn’t always work so I just go with the flow,” she said.

On a regular basis, she said she supports about 10 to 15 students on a typical day. Bell stated she also provides support to teachers and parents.

She mentioned that the most common way to resolve the problem is to work on communication.

Bell said “9 times out of 10 you’re having beef or conflict with your friend in a miscommunication or it’s a ‘he said-she said’”.

Therefore she wants to help clear the air with anyone, even though students don’t go back to being friends at least they don’t end in bad terms and they can move on.

If you need Restorative Justice support, you can head over to room 231 or contact Bell via email at [email protected].