What is Circle Keeper or Keeper

This chapter addresses the promises and pitfalls of restorative justice (RJ) practices for youth with communication disorders. This chapter begins with the historical context, the current zero-tolerance policies and other harsh, exclusionary discipline measures used in schools and (in)justice system, harming Black disabled students disproportionately. This chapter then addresses the promise of RJ as a way to challenge zero-tolerance while building inclusive communities that focus on the growth of young people in community. This chapter provides a step-by-step discussion of a restorative circle, a practice based on talking, listening, and processing emotions. Speech-language pathologists are called upon to learn about the promise of RJ, engage in restorative practices, and then utilize their specific knowledge of communication disorders to develop universal design circles so that youth with communication disorders and other invisible disabilities can be included and the promise of restorative justice fully realized.