dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline · work with grassroots groups to end the...
TRANSCRIPT
Dismantling the
School-to-Prison Pipeline
Jason Sinocruz
and
Yasmin J. Gabriel
Staff Attorneys
Advancement Project
Washington, D.C.
AGENDA FOR DISMANTLING THE
SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE
WORKSHOP
Introduction
Icebreaker
Game of K-12 LIFE
Break
Overview of School-to-Prison Pipeline & Solutions
Small Group Activity
Closing
WHAT IS ADVANCEMENT PROJECT? Racial justice civil rights organization based in
Washington, D.C.
Work with grassroots groups to end the school-to-prison
pipeline in their communities.
Aim to change the national conversation on this issue.
Provide resources and best practices on school discipline.
Active in more than a dozen sites, including (but not
limited to) New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Maryland,
Illinois, and Colorado.
MORE IMPORTANTLY,
WHO ARE YOU?
1980s:
“Zero Tolerance”
drug policies
ORIGINS OF “ZERO TOLERANCE” AND
“ZERO TOLERANCE” IN SCHOOLS
1990s:
Columbine tragedy
– “zero tolerance”
DEFINITION:
The policies and
practices that are
directly and
indirectly pushing
students out of
school and on a
pathway to prison.
RE-CHARACTERIZATION OF STUDENT BEHAVIOR
“Battery” Pushing &
shoving
Swiping
headphones
Talking
back
“Theft” or
“robbery”
“Disorderly
conduct”
HARSH DISCIPLINE POLICIES DO NOT WORK!
These policies result in:
– Lost Learning Time
–Disengagement from school
–Escalation in rule breaking
– Likelihood of engaging in future misbehavior
– Likelihood of dropping out of school
– Increased risk of being funneled into the justice
system
FOR EXAMPLE…
A North Carolina 4th grader
suspended for calling his teacher
“cute.”
A Georgia kindergartener
handcuffed for a temper tantrum.
A Virginia high school student
suspended for accidentally bringing
penicillin to school.
10
12
A MOVEMENT EMERGES…
– Parent and student resistance
– District reform
– State legislative reform
– Federal attention
In response, there is now a national movement around
the elimination of these harsh policies and practices.
CLAYTON COUNTY, GA –
COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENT
An agreement between the school district, the local juvenile justice system, law enforcement, and social service groups that: 1. Prohibited referrals to law enforcement for “misdemeanor delinquent acts,” like fighting, disrupting the public school, and disorderly conduct. 2. Instead, youth received warnings after a first offense and referral to mediation or school conflict training programs after a second offense.
CLAYTON COUNTY, GA –
COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENT
Dangerous
Weapons Incidents DOWN
70%
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS –
NEW CODE OF CONDUCT
2006-07 School Year
17,520
Out-of-School Suspensions
2009-10 School Year
9,705
Out-of-School Suspensions
DOWN
44%
BALTIMORE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2006-07 School Year
Black Male On Time
Graduation Rate
2009-10 School Year
Black Male On Time
Graduation Rate
UP
13%
DENVER PARTNER:
PADRES Y JOVENES UNIDOS
In the past five years:
1. Rewrote the discipline code to make it the most
progressive in the country.
2. Implemented restorative justice program.
3. Passed statewide Smart School Discipline Bill.
4. Rewrote memorandum of understanding between
police and district.
A Shift in Denver: Limits on Police in Schools
http://kdvr.com/2013/02/19/video-school-district-police-agree-to-reduce-presence-of-officers-in-schools/
DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2003-04 School Year
13,423
Out-of-School Suspensions
2011-12 School Year
7,523
Out-of-School Suspensions
DOWN
44%
DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2003-04 School Year
Expulsions
2011-12 School Year
Expulsions
DOWN
57%
DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2003-04 School Year
Referrals to Law
Enforcement
2011-12 School Year
Referrals to Law
Enforcement
DOWN
63%
PARTNER:
CITIZEN ACTION OF NEW YORK AND ALLIANCE FOR QUALITY EDUCATION
BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS – NEW CODE OF CONDUCT
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Learn more about the School-to-Prison pipeline
Visit the Resources Page at
http://www.school2prison.org
• THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
- For example, research shows that the
arts help children do better in all
subjects and improve the likelihood
that they will stay in school longer.
- A Boston public school (Orchard Gardens Pilot
School) fires security guards, hires art teachers with
the money instead. In just three years the students at
the once-troubled school have improved their basic
academic skills and many say the arts have changed
their lives.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Collect and report disaggregated and thorough school
discipline data
• Use the data to track successes, areas for improvement, and
develop alternative practices
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WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Visit http://www.school2prison.org
to look up data on your area.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Take a look at your school policy
• Discipline Code
• Define police roles on school
campus
• Seek changes to applicable local,
county, and state laws and
policies
• Reduce/end overuse of
suspensions, expulsions, and
arrests in schools
25 CLASSROOM & IN-SCHOOL ALTERNATIVES TO
SUSPENSIONS, EXPULSIONS, AND ARRESTS
• Reminder and/or re-direction
• Re-teaching of expectations and skills
• Student/teacher conference
• Loss of privileges
• Role-play
• Written apology
• Mini-course/training on topics such as conflict resolution, anger management, social skills, or appropriate behavior
• Time-out/chill-out period
• Reflective essay or other reflective activity
• Independent study
• Parental outreach
• Student/teacher/parent conference
• Detention
• Referral to after-school program
• Saturday School
• Restorative practices, such as peace circles
• Referral to support staff, such as guidance counselor, social worker, or nurse
• Self-charting of behaviors
• Daily report card on behavior, task completion, and achievement
• Referral to an in-school suspension center or support center
• Restitution
• Community service
• Mentoring
• Modified/adjusted schedule, including changes to the student’s overall schedule or course content
• Referral to community-based services 28
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE:
AN ALTERNATIVE TO SUSPENSION
LOCATION RESTORATIVE JUSTICE TECHNIQUES
Denver,
Colorado Family group conferences
Victim-offender mediation
Classroom peace circles
Contract laying out way to work out differences
following a fight
Oakland,
California Youth court where bailiffs, clerks, and lawyers are
all youths, and the judge is an adult attorney
Where youth are sent when commit minor, first-
time offense
State of
Minnesota RJ planners hired who attended circle trainings
and implemented these within the high schools
• Leverage budgetary authority
• Divert funding used for law enforcement personnel
and security infrastructure to:
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
–Prevention and
intervention measures
such as restorative
justice
– Social workers, school
psychologists, and
guidance counselors
FOR MORE INFORMATION . . .
• Go to:
www.advancementproject.org
www.safequalityschools.org
• Contact info:
31
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY
1. As a group, come up with two solutions to
dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline?
2. As a group, what groups/resources/allies
would you use to implement these solutions?
3. As a group, share what you learned from the
ice breaker?
4. Is there a school-based solution to the
school-to-prison pipeline that you haven’t
heard from the workshop that you would
share? 32
FOR MORE INFORMATION . . .
• Go to:
www.advancementproject.org
www.safequalityschools.org
• Contact info:
33