Unsnarling PBIS and Trauma-Informed Education

Abstract

We posit that Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) serves as a way to label, punish, and surveil students, which is antithetical to trauma-informed education. We put existing critiques of PBIS in conversation with literature on trauma-informed education, critical analyses rooted in social justice and draw on our experiences as educators. Grounded in a human-centered pedagogical orientation, we propose that educators advocate against the use of PBIS in their schools and instead focus their efforts on culturally sustaining pedagogies, systemic trauma-informed practices, and affirming practices based on asset views of students and communities.