Youth Alliance, in partnership with the San Benito County Office of Education, invites the community to the Dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline workshop on March 20 at Paine’s Restaurant in Hollister. Tia Martinez, Principal at Forward Change Consulting, is expected to present the historical and current landscape of what is nationally known as the “School to Prison Pipeline.”
The School to Prison Pipeline is a descriptor for the fact that students who have been suspended have far higher dropout rates and are significantly more likely to become involved in the juvenile justice system than their peers. Data at the state and national levels show that these outcomes disproportionately affect youth of color and youth with disabilities.
In an effort to scale up the systems, structures, and policies that build safe, holistic, and healing schools for all students, participants will review the statewide school discipline trends and discuss best practices in the creation of a continuum of positive supports for their school and community. Participants will have the opportunity to work in school district or community teams to problem solve and create an action plan to support all students.
Local school district or community teams are encouraged to attend, including teachers, counselors, behavioral health professionals, law enforcement, administrators, parents, and young adults. We will work to identify areas for improvement and partnerships needed to support the educational success of all.
Some research: “There is little evidence that suspension and expulsion benefit students or their communities. Psychologists have found that disciplinary exclusion policies can increase “student shame, alienation, rejection, and breaking of healthy adult bonds,” thereby exacerbating negative mental health outcomes for young people. Behavioral problems among school-age youth are associated with high rates of depression, drug addiction, and home-life stresses. For students with these mental health concerns, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has found that suspension can increase stress and may predispose them to antisocial behavior and even suicidal ideation.
-American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (2003). Policy statement: Out-of-school suspension and expulsion.” Pediatrics. 112 (5). 1206-1210.
To register for this workshop, go to https://sanbenito.k12oms.org/ and use the calendar function to find the workshop link.
If you would like more information about this topic, please call Monica Barragan at (831) 637-5393 ext. 126 or email mbarragan@sbcoe.k12.ca.us.
