STPP Conference 
DISMANTLING
THE
SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE FORUM
March 13, 2010
Conference and Speaker Materials
are listed below
Children are far more likely to be arrested at school than
they were a generation ago.
The vast majority of these arrests are for non-violent offenses such as
"disruptive conduct" or "disturbance of the peace. Five
years old are being led out of classrooms in handcuffs for acting out
or throwing temper tantrums. Students have been arrested for throwing
an eraser at a teacher, breaking a pencil, and having rap lyrics in a
locker. These children do not belong in jail.
The "School To Prison Pipeline" (STTP) refers to a disturbing national trend in which students are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Most of these kids are children of color, and many have learning disabilities or histories of poverty, abuse or neglect, and would benefit from additional educational and counseling services. Instead they are punished and isolated.
Why is this happening? "Zero-tolerance" polices criminalize minor infractions of school rules and high-stakes testing programs encourage educators to push out low-performing students to improve their schools' overall test scores. Students of color are especially vulnerable to the discriminatory application of discipline and push-out trends.
The ACLU believes children should be educated, not incarcerated. We are working to challenge numerous policies and practices within public school systems and the juvenile justice system that contribute to STPP.
ACLU of Georgia's STPP Program
The purpose of the ACLU of Georgia's STPP Program is to develop a community
partnership to play an active role in the dismantling of the School to
Prison Pipeline (STPP) in Georgia. The program is designed to engage parents
and organizations to challenge policies and practices that funnel children
into the STPP.
Dismantling the STPP
Forum
The STPP forum seeks to engage stakeholders by:
Increasing public awareness of the School to Prison Pipeline (STPP).
Providing prevention/intervention measures that divert children from the
STPP and steer them towards gaining an education.
Equip parents and community to help children enmeshed in the STPP.
Forum Agenda Highlights
Improving
School & Community Safety
Preparing
Kids for Success
Where did all
the children go
How to be an
Effective Parent Advocate
Community Organizing
Presentation