ARCHIVED ARTICLES
Week of November 19, 2010
Advocate: Zero Tolerance By Schools Incites Troubled Teens, WAPT
An excellent story from Mississippi on the work of parent advocates and the Mississippi Youth Justice Project to fight the school to prison pipeline there created by zero-tolerance policies.
Gwinnett schools policy authorizes police to use force, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gwinnett County in Georgia has approved a policy that would allow police at school to use “reasonable force” to maintain safety.
Pupils are going Gaga for school discipline, St. Helens Reporter
As school in the UK is using Lady Gaga to improve school discipline.
Maine Sen. Pushes To Unify School Punishment Policies, WMTW
More good news from Maine, with a story on State Senator Justin Alfond is pushing to make better expulsion policy and do away with zero tolerance.
Baltimore Dropouts, Youth Crime Down As Agencies Cooperate, The Crime Report
More on Baltimore’s declining dropout rate and arrests of students.
Making the promise real: ACLU looks at justice in Indian country, Indian Country Today
Because the federal government has jurisdiction on reservations, nearly two out of three juveniles in the federal justice system are Native American.
UCSB Sociologist Recognized for Research, edhat.com
The American Society of Criminology has awarded a UC Santa Barbara professor its New Scholar Award for his research on the school-to-prison pipeline.
Becton Regional toughens anti-smoking edict, The Leader
Schools in New Jersey are cracking down on smoking –even encouraging the police to get involved.
Saline student faces discipline, possible criminal charges for showing knife in class, AnnArbor.com
A Michigan teenager faces criminal charges for bringing a folding knife with a two-inch blade to school, to show his friends. Witnesses said they didn’t believe the boy intended to harm anyone.
Girls Sue Pa. School Over ‘Boobies’-Bracelet Ban, The Associated Press
Two Pennsylvania middle schoolers have filed a civil lawsuit against their school district after they were suspended for wearing “I [heart] boobies!” bracelets.
In Baltimore, more time in school means less juvenile crime, The Baltimore Sun
A story in the Baltimore Sun points to some promising signs that students may be staying in school rather than becoming criminalized in school. It suggests that the school to prison pipeline may be breaking.
A beautiful metamorphosis, The Houston Chronicle
A story on a program in Texas that tries to actually deal with social problems rather than just disciplining young women.
Time to Rethink School Suspensions?, Rutgers Today
A story on a Rutgers student who is researching the extent and effectiveness of school suspensions.
Opinions/Editorials
Insanity! Teacher Bans Students From Bringing Pencils To Schools, News Blaze
A teacher forbids students from bringing pencils to school.
In teen’s shooting, how did we get here?, San Antonio Express-News
In San Antonio, TX, a school police officer shot and killed an unarmed 14-year-old boy.
Do school police go too far?, Ultimate Fort Bend
The ACLU of Texas is launching a campaign to gather stories of abuse of police power in schools. The campaign is a response to a growing number of complaints about the unnecessary criminalization of youth across the state.
Week of November 12, 2010
Updated: Portland Schools Change Discipline Policy on Toy Guns, Willamette Week
Portland OR changes its policy on toy guns – doing away with mandatory suspension.
Save Our Schools: Philly Students Host Youth Power Summit To Campaign for Non-Violence, PhillyNow
In Philly, youth hold a summit in support of non-violent schools. They are demanding a voice in the culture and management of their schools. They are also demanding better policies – like restorative justice.
Chicago charter schools struggle to hold onto weakest students, Chicago Public Radio
WBEZ in Chicago and Catalyst look at the alarming rate of Chicago charter school students who are being funneled back into mainstream schools when they struggle. School discipline is being used to skim off struggling students.
One in 10 charter school students transfers out, Catalyst Chicago
And a follow up report with more detail from Catalyst
Tasered East Lansing student charged in connection with assault on officer, Lansing State Journal
Police in Michigan tasered a student.
Speech about ‘school-to-prison pipeline, ’Traverse City Record-Eagle
An attorney for the Michigan ACLU will give a speech on the School to Prison Pipeline in Traverse City.
A closer look at school suspensions in North Carolina, The Progressive Pulse
There will be a summit this Friday in North Carolina dealing with the overuse of suspensions, expulsions, and arrests in school.
Student Behavior, Education Week
A study recommends better disciplinary reporting to help schools with interventions.
Schools report sharp rise in drug incidents, Education News Colorado
An important story from Colorado about the rise in drug offenses in school and the differing responses in different districts.
As US Rights Record To Be Reviewed for First Time by UN Council, Rights Networks Calls On Obama to Bring Domestic Practices in Line with International Standards, Common Dreams
The U.N. is going to take a look at the U.S.’s human rights practices, and the School-to-Prison Pipeline is an issue.
Opinions/Editorials
Fighting Bullying With Babies, The New York Times
A classroom program called Roots of Empathy has reduced bullying significantly by getting young schoolchildren to interact with a mother and her baby.
Crazed zero-tolerance policies are failing our schoolchildren [appearing in three publications]
Mary Sanchez’s op-ed decrying the craziness of zero-tolerance is being picked up by papers around the country.
Harris takes aim at district’s discipline plan, The News Star
The superintendent of a Louisiana school district is trying to ban corporal punishment in Monroe City public schools.
Editorial: Educators need to ramp up discipline, The Province
This editorial’s calls for more discipline as a solution to bullying is slightly troubling, but it recognizes that educators should be disciplining students for minor fights rather than handing over that responsibility to the cops.
Living with Children, Kansas City Star
A family psychologist laments that students aren’t punished enough in school, saying the worst teachers can do is withhold smiley face stickers.
Week of November 5, 2010
Advocates call for review of district expulsions process, Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Advocates in Philadelphia are pushing the district to revise its expulsion policy and to stop expelling so many students.
Wilkinsburg Schools To Crack Down On Foul Language, wpxi.com
A district in Pennsylvania threatens to expel students who use “bad language.”
Speaker urges new approach to discipline, Watertown Daily Times
In Upstate New York, the schools are rethinking their approach to discipline in response to a presentation by a psychologist who argued that discipline just makes things worse.
Boy Punished for Farting on the School Bus, Fox 8 News
11-year old boy in Ohio is disciplined for farting on the school bus.
New discipline program working at Flinn, wrex.com
Positive Behavior Support gets rave reviews in Rockford, Ill.
Fire Alarm Sparks Food Fights, Smaller Fights At Bryan Station High School, lex18.com
Students in Kentucky were arrested for being involved in a food fight after a fire alarm went off.
N.J. reports better safety in schools but more substance abuse, The Philadelphia Inquirer
A NJ state survey shows that youth violence in schools is declining.
Opinions/Editorials
YDR Opinion: Zero tolerance or common sense with school expulsions?, York Daily Record
A good editorial from York, Pennsylvania arguing that two recent cases of overly harsh punishment make no sense. The piece highlights the case of two boys expelled for inadvertently bringing pocket-knives to a school football game, and a girl who was suspended for 10 days for having Midol tablets. Outrageous.
Changing how schools work / More freedom, PressofAtlanticCity.com
An excellent editorial from Atlantic City highlighting a local school’s plan to address discipline issues by giving youth more freedom and trying to make school a welcoming place rather than cracking down with harsh discipline.
Zero tolerance policies are failing our schoolchildren, Merced Sun-Star
And one more good op-ed from California calling for sanity rather than zero-tolerance. The author makes the point that all kids play – and that all kids mess up sometimes. She asks, should we really be disrupting their educations for every little incident?
