High schoolers suspended for 'misgendering' peer, subjected to 'restorative justice' re-education training

Two California high school students were suspended and subjected to "restorative justice" re-education training after they were accused of "misgendering" a peer, Fox News Digital reported.

According to an email obtained by the outlet, Herbert Hoover High School's former principal, Jennifer Earl, suspended two students who she claimed misgendered another student and then ran away when a teacher tried to intervene.

The email, sent by Earl on May 24, 2022, described suspending the students for five days and "conducting RJ" or "restorative justice" training.

"I suspended two students for five days each today and will be conducting RJ with students and teacher for the following: The students (not enrolled in his class) entered [REDACTED] classroom one at a time and called him [REDACTED]. The teacher responded it is [REDACTED]. After doing so, they ran away," Earl wrote.

"In interviewing them, they admitted to being curious about a transgender person," she continued. "I asked my teacher how he wanted to handle it, if he wanted me to just teach them about misgendering or would he like me to speak about being trans. He asked me to educate on transgender."

Earl also noted that "it was well received from students and parents" and that she planned to have the students attend restorative justice training "after suspension."

Glendale Unified School District's website states, "Restorative Practice is a framework for building community and for responding to challenging behavior through authentic dialogue." Students must sit in a circle with their peers, ask "barrier breaking" questions, and share stories to build community.

"When there is harm or conflict within the established community, restorative responses help to repair the damage. This is done through processes that bring harmed and harmers together to address root causes of the conflict, support accountability for those responsible, and promote healing for impacted individuals. As a result, community is once again restored bringing back a sense of belonging to all," the website adds.

A GUSD spokesperson told Fox News Digital that students are not suspended for accidentally misgendering a classmate.

"A student has never been punished, much less suspended, for accidentally using the wrong pronoun to refer to a peer or staff member. However, a student could be suspended if the action escalated to harassment or bullying," the spokesperson stated.

"In Glendale Unified, we work together with our parents as partners to create safe, inclusive environments where every child can learn and thrive," the spokesperson continued. "We follow all laws and policies established by the California legislature and the Department of Education."

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