To: The California State Senate
Fairness in school discipline and alternatives to expulsion.
We are CSU Chico students enrolled in Ethnic and Race Relations with Dr. Paul Lopez. We are addressing an issue which we feel can impact our society.
President Obama recently started an initiative to help young people of color avoid the “school to prison pipeline.” Minority students often face stricter disciplinary measures, without supportive community resources as an alternative. More minority students end up with criminal charges in court systems that start as infractions in the education system.
Simply expelling someone from school for a minor offense does not solve the disciplinary problem. Instead, we need to find other methods so that everyone feels safe in a learning environment. Indeed, children are constantly being monitored and told there is zero tolerance for misbehavior.
Education should be our priority not incarceration. California incarcerates 271 out of every 100,000 youths in the state. These numbers are astounding as most of them are for minor offenses. Many schools across America now have police officers in the school at all times. The days of going to the principal’s office are over. Instead, some students go directly to jail.
We ask that the Senate Committee and the California Department of Education require school districts to institute progressive discipline and Positive Disciplinary Interventions and Supports.
• The Federal government and advocacy groups have been making recommendations for years- now is the time to act.
• We must focus on finding other methods to change behavior
• We must find methods of fairness in disciplinary systems.
• We must balance punishment against creating a life long barrier to advancement in higher education or employment.
We cannot deny some children what every child in America should have – an educational foundation for success in life.
Sincerely,
Barbara Tanner and Gabriela Murillo
Chico State Sociology students
President Obama recently started an initiative to help young people of color avoid the “school to prison pipeline.” Minority students often face stricter disciplinary measures, without supportive community resources as an alternative. More minority students end up with criminal charges in court systems that start as infractions in the education system.
Simply expelling someone from school for a minor offense does not solve the disciplinary problem. Instead, we need to find other methods so that everyone feels safe in a learning environment. Indeed, children are constantly being monitored and told there is zero tolerance for misbehavior.
Education should be our priority not incarceration. California incarcerates 271 out of every 100,000 youths in the state. These numbers are astounding as most of them are for minor offenses. Many schools across America now have police officers in the school at all times. The days of going to the principal’s office are over. Instead, some students go directly to jail.
We ask that the Senate Committee and the California Department of Education require school districts to institute progressive discipline and Positive Disciplinary Interventions and Supports.
• The Federal government and advocacy groups have been making recommendations for years- now is the time to act.
• We must focus on finding other methods to change behavior
• We must find methods of fairness in disciplinary systems.
• We must balance punishment against creating a life long barrier to advancement in higher education or employment.
We cannot deny some children what every child in America should have – an educational foundation for success in life.
Sincerely,
Barbara Tanner and Gabriela Murillo
Chico State Sociology students
Why is this important?
We are starting this petition because we believe that all children should get the best chance at success. Education should determine a person's future, not a youthful mistake in judgment.