AN OVERVIEW OF THE ISSUES AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FOR REFORM

THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE

Presented By:

• Kaitlin Banner, Advancement Project, KBanner@advancementproject.org

• Harold Jordan, ACLU of PA, Dignity in Schools Campaign, Hjordan@aclupa.org

• Marsha Weissman, Center for Community Alternatives, Dignity in Schools Campaign, mweissman@communityalternatives.org

• Fernando Martinez, Dignity in School Campaign, fernando@dignityinschools.org

Hosted By:

FRAMING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE

DEFINITION

The policies and practices that are directly and indirectly pushing students out of school and on a pathway to prison.

SUSPENSION AND THE PATH TO PRISON

• Students are more likely to be retained• Students are pushed out of school • Students are less likely to graduate • Students are more like to get arrested or referred

to the juvenile delinquency

ELEMENTS OF THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE

• Racial & ethnic disparities

• Zero tolerance discipline and school suspension

• Criminalization of normative adolescent behavior

• Police in school

• High stakes testing

DISCUSSION

• What does the school to prison pipeline look like in your community?

• What challenges have you faced addressing the school to prison pipeline?

Note: Please type your responses into the question box on the side of your screen.

“EDUCATION IS THE CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE OF OUR TIME”

- US Secretary of State Arne Duncan

Source: Losen….

RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES

RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES

For every 1 white student

to receive an OSS

…3 black students received an OSS

CRIMINALIZATION OF NORMATIVE ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR

“Battery”Pushing & Shoving

Swiping Headphones

Talking Back

“Theft” or “Robbery”

“Disorderly Conduct”

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SCHOOLS

MAJOR TRENDS

• Police presence in schools has been on the rise, especially in the last 15 years.

• More types of incidents now require police notification.

• State and federal funding for cops in schools has expanded.

• Many Zero Tolerance policies have broadened the definition of “weapon.”

TYPES OF SECURITY

• School Police Officers: typically sworn police officers on the staff of a district

• School Resource Officers: typically sworn police of an outside agency assigned full-time to schools.

• Other security (non-police): school staff or private firm contract staff who do not have police powers.

Most significant - the power to arrest, detain, interrogate, and issue citations.

CONCERNS ABOUT PLACING POLICE IN SCHOOLS

• There is a lack of evidence that stationing police in schools makes schools safer.

• Increased school policing may have negative impacts: expanded involvement in incidents that might better be handled other ways; criminalization of school discipline.

• Districts do a poor job of monitoring the consequences and aftermath of police involvement.

• It is not just about arrests. Police engage in other activities, such as issuing summary citations, which may have long-term consequences.

• Insufficient oversight. Formal guidelines are lacking, especially when it comes to specific prohibitions on police involvement in specific types of incidents and restrictions on student searches.

• SRO programs raise constitutional concerns: interrogations, searches w/o proper justification. These can result in the escalation of incidents.

DISCUSSION

• Who is stationed in/patrolling your school communities?

Note: Please type your responses into the question box on the side of your screen.

ECHOES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

HARSH DISCIPLINE THROUGH THE EYES OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE PIPELINE

THE OFFENSE BEHAVIORS

Damian: “I was suspended ..because I was charged with persistent disobedience. Like getting in trouble too much and having teachers complain to the principal … and they were tired of me and all that stuff.”

• 3.3 million students were suspended out-of-school at least once and 102,000 were expelled (2006)

• More than 2,600 secondary schools suspended over 25% of their total enrollment, at least once (2009-10).

• Most suspensions are for minor misbehavior like “disruptive behavior,” “insubordination” or school fights.

• Racial disparities in who gets suspended: Black students are far more likely to be suspended for minor or subjective infractions than are white students.

THE TRIAL

Rashaun: “It’s just like court once you go in there. Pretty muchyou go in there [the hearing] - they overrule you and they giveyou your time.”

• While students can have an attorney present at suspension hearings, most families are unaware of this right or cannot afford to hire an attorney

• Lack of procedural justice undermines willingness to abide by decisions made by authorities

• Procedural justice requires a real chance to tell one’s side of the story; a neutral decision maker and; a respectful process.

THE VERDICT

Roland: “[My suspension hearing was] horrible because of the things that they were saying….. They was just trying to make me look like I was a bad kid, like I was literally a nobody and that hurted me too.”

• American Academy of Pediatrics and American Psychological Association note negative health and mental health impact of suspension

• Counters research on adolescent development• Negative impacts on youth self-esteem• Increases student alienation from school staff

THE MANDATORY SENTENCE

Ray: “They [school administrators] said to me that they know Ididn’t do nothing wrong, but if my hand touches the knife thenthey have no choice but to send me to Brig. But I started cryingbecause I didn’t understand … because I thought that I wasdoing the right thing by taking the knife away so the otherstudent wouldn’t be hurt.”

• Zero tolerance policies in school discipline modeled after criminal justice policies – the War on Drugs.

• 1994 Safe and Gun-Free Schools Act- tied mandatory suspension/expulsion policies to school aid

• Applied to a range of behaviors - not just weapons’ possession

SERVING TIME

Donela: “Brig is like jail… You got to take your shoes off and get searched. Then when you go up the stairs, you have to take off all of your clothes, all your, like jewelry and stuff and put it in this big old box. And then take your shoes off again and put them in the box. And then walk through the metal detectors and then you get wanded down. If you beep, they are going to take you in the bathroom and tell you to empty out all of your pockets. And then they move around and unzip your pants and all that stuff.

Characteristics of Disciplinary Alternative Schools• Higher levels of surveillance• Shorter school days• No afterschool activities

REENTRY: CONTINUED STIGMA AND EXCLUSION

Jena: “He, [the police officer], like he assumes just because now

that I go back to Kennedy, he assume because I fought once,that I’m a bad girl. He judges me before he knows. He don’tknow me. He don’t know that I’m a good girl.”

• 52% of students who were suspended were suspended more than once

• Long term consequences:

- Suspension Dropping out Unemployment- Suspension Dropping out Incarceration- Suspension Barrier to college enrollment

WHAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE? YOUNG PEOPLE RESPOND

Shayna: “It was a Social Studies teacher, like, she was like the good kind of teacher. She give you a chance. Instead of just kicking you out for something, she gave you a chance.”

• Caring, patient, teachers and school staff• Small classes• Interactive curriculum• Social supports• Positive behavioral interventions

DISMANTLING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE

ORGANIZING, TOOLS, AND SUCCESS ON THE GROUND

DIGNITY IN SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN

Coalition of more than 70 organizations in 20 states united to challenge school push out and advocate for human rights to education and dignity

DIGNITY IN SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN MODEL CODE

OVERVIEW OF DSC MODEL CODE

LIMITING THE ROLE OF POLICE IN OAKLAND

BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ NEW CODE OF CONDUCT

Key Elements of Reform:

•Community driven•Non-punitive approach, emphasizing prevention and effective intervention•Limitations on out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, and use of law enforcement•Alternatives to exclusionary discipline, including restorative justice •Strong due process protections•Parental outreach and engagement•Data collection and monitoring

ENDING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE

• Improve the code of conduct to hold students accountable for minor misbehavior without excluding them from school

• Examine the root causes of racial disparities and make a commitment to end them

• Limit the role of law enforcement to serious crimes

• Increase counseling and community intervention resources

• Give youth and parents a real voice in creating and implementing positive school discipline

FOR MORE INFORMATION

http://www.aclupa.org/

http://www.advancementproject.org/

http://www.communityalternatives.org/

http://www.dignityinschools.org/

http://www.juvjustice.org/