RHS teacher advocating for policy change, helping students deal with conflict

RICHMOND, Ind. — Kirsten Archer Bunner is a teacher first, but it doesn't mean Bunner doesn't have other interests.

Among those other interests are law and policy. Bunner took one law class at Earlham College and it turned out to be a favorite.

"I really enjoy learning about law," said Bunner, a Richmond High School teacher. "I felt that it was something that just made sense to me."

When Bunner received an email about a policy-based teaching fellowship, it felt like the perfect opportunity to combine passions of teaching and law. Instead of just reading articles or making calls to senators, Bunner applied to learn more about policy in regards to education.

After a long application process that included a group interview, a one-on-one interview via Zoom and an essay writing, Bunner was one of 20 teachers state-wide selected for the 2019-20 Teach Plus Indiana Teaching Policy Fellowship. The program trains teachers to advocate on behalf of policies that impact their students.

The 20 policy fellows are divided into groups to focus on specific issues within education. Bunner's group is focused on inequity in school discipline, specifically on who is being suspended, how often and alternatives to suspension or expulsion. Bunner said that research shows suspensions are not affecting behavior change, but simply removing students who are disruptive to the learning environment.

"We're looking at how we help those students who really struggle with the way our current system is set up and aren't responding to the traditional forms of discipline," Bunner said. "Alternatives that are working and how they can be implemented, that's the research we're doing right now."

RHS students call Bunner Mx. B, because it's reflective of Bunner's preferred use of gender-neutral pronouns: They, their and them. 

Bunner's interest in topics such as policy and law also stem from volunteer work with a local non-profit, the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP). In prisons, schools and the local community, AVP hosts workshops based around conflict resolution, leadership development and vulnerability practice. 

The vision of AVP includes making the program available in as many places as possible. As a special education math teacher, Bunner took it upon their shoulders to bring this curriculum to RHS students. Now in the course's third year, Bunner is helping students learn about emotions, conflict, how to communicate, build trust and be vulnerable with others among many other useful life skills.  

Bunner said the AVP course is not a traditional class, with no tests, pop quizzes or essays, which cause students to share, communicate and be present with one another.

"Whenever you ask students to share things about themselves, be open and actually communicate, it can sometimes get turbulent," Bunner said. "Overall, just from student feedback, it's been very positive for people who've taken it."

One student of Bunner's, RHS senior Chiara Spicer, said the AVP course has helped a lot with her emotions and finding things out about herself. If Spicer had to talk with anyone at RHS about something, the first person she would go to is Bunner, she said.

Spicer said, often times, the class participates in activities where a student endures a conflict and you learn how to handle and react to it effectively. 

"Being able to talk about these things in class helps better your way of dealing with situations, feelings and emotions," Spicer said. "It's helped me through some pretty bad situations I've been in."

Another AVP student of Bunner's, India Feliz, has noticed her classmates become more social throughout the course by building bonds and trust. 

"It's really hard for high schoolers to express how we're feeling," Feliz said. "We're able to discuss it and learn more about it so we know how to control our feelings and everything."

Bunner said they were really good at school, but had a lot of emotional turbulence growing up. Because of Bunner's strong, supportive family, things turned out fine in their case. 

But Bunner knows everyone is not so lucky to have positive figures in their life.

"I really want to be that strong, positive person for people and help reduce their anxiety about learning and being in school," Bunner said.