Two California students were suspended for five days and required to attend a “restorative justice” training as a consequence for “misgendering” a transgender teacher. This is according to an email obtained by Glendale Unified School District Parents’ Voices, an organization that aims to “support children’s educational goals and development” in their district just north of Los Angeles.

The email, written by former Herbert High School principal Jennifer Earl, stated that the students entered a classroom, used the wrong name for the transgender teacher, and then fled after being corrected. In the email, the principal mentioned that the students admitted to being “curious about a transgender person” during their interviews.

“I suspended two students for five days each today and will be conducting RJ with students and teacher for the following,” Earl wrote.

“I asked [the] 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,” Earl continued. “He asked me to educate on transgender. It was well received from students and parents. [Restorative justice] will happen after suspension.”

GUSD uses “restorative practices” within the classroom by “reducing, preventing and improving harmful behavior” and “resolving conflict, holding individuals and groups accountable,” according to the district website. In 2018, the district created a “Restorative Practices Advisory Task Force” to provide “input for implementing Restorative Practices throughout the district….”

From California Family Council