Schools First!

While JJPL has traditionally focused on reforming the back end of the pipeline – the juvenile justice system — for years we have noticed the incredible number of young people funneled through what many now call “the school-to-prison pipeline”.  The term “school-to-prison pipeline” describes the phenomenon of schoolchildren entering the juvenile or criminal justice system through 1) school arrests for petty offenses, or 2) harsh school punishments sanctioned by state law and school discipline codes, such as expulsion and suspension, which result in an increased risk of later incarceration. Such punishments are often disproportionately focused on low income African Americans, especially boys.  In fact, across the country, juvenile and criminal justice advocates, social justice groups, educators, and even law enforcement officials are highlighting the connection between the discipline policies and practices in our schools and the growing number of young people and adults incarcerated. In 2006, JJPL launched the Schools First Project, to stem the school to prison pipeline and in order to prevent youth from entering the court system to begin with.   The project’s mission is to reduce the number of suspensions, expulsions, push-outs and arrests in the school system and to ensure a seamless educational transition between prison and schools.  In the first years of our existence, we have successfully:

  • Been the primary force in revising the Orleans Parish Recovery School District (RSD) School Discipline Code, to reduce the number of suspendable and expellable offenses and increase positive behavior interventions in the classroom (2008);
  • Partnered with the youth organizing group Fyre Youth Squad and other community partners to help reduce the number of security officers in high-schools by one-third and in elementary schools by one half (2008);
  • With YASS, hosted a youth summit attended by over 200 youth from Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi to learn about issues in their community and how they could get involved in impacting social change (2009);
  • Secured a commitment from the Recovery School District to ban the use of fixed restraints on all children and the handcuffing of students under ten years old, through litigation with the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as co-counsel and a YASS led-organizing campaign, after a 6 year old first grader was handcuffed to a chair in his elementary school (2010);
  • Started a volunteer law project at Loyola Law School in New Orleans to provide volunteer representation to youth facing disciplinary proceedings in New Orleans.

Currently, JJPL’s work to stem the school to prison pipeline includes work to:

Reform School Security in Orleans Parish and Reduce the Number of Referrals to Court:

JJPL is working with the administration of the Recovery School District, the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court, and other stakeholders in the city to improve the policies, procedures and training of school security officers, as well as to develop interventions in the schools that will keep youth from being referred to court or expelled for school-based behavior.  Our ultimate aim is to improve graduation and success rates for students in Orleans Parish, which has historically had a suspension and expulsion rate almost 20 times the national average. 

Provide Volunteer Representation to all Youth Facing Disciplinary Proceedings in Orleans Parish:

In 2010, JJPL partnered with law students at Loyola law school to form Stand Up for Each Other!, a collaboration of the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana, law students from Loyola University New Orleans and Tulane University and Young Adults Striving for Success that has stepped up to help kids stay in school. SUFEO! addresses the disproportionate impact of suspensions and expulsions on students by teaching youth ways to exercise their statutory right to administrative hearings. Law students, young adults, and parents learn how the process works and how representation operates in juvenile administrative hearings. This collaboration presents a great opportunity for law and pre-law students interested in trial, advocacy and public interest work to serve the community. This group is our contribution in combating the pipeline.  During the 2010-2011 school year, SUFEO saw roughly 21 cases. A vast majority of the cases were resolved with intervention at the school level. SUFEO also provided technical assistance to neighboring parishes.

To reach a member of SUFEO!, contact our hotline at 504-410-KIDS. We return calls within 24 hours to youth, parents, as well as respond to other inquiries.

Visit the website for Stand Up for Each Other! (SUFEO!)

 

For more information please contact Carol Kolinchak

Schools First!