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Push Back Against School Pushout: Highlights from the Week of Action 2011
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Week of Action 2011: DSC-NY Rally at City Hall
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Week of Action on School Pushout: Push Back for Dignity and Fairness
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DSC Press Releases

Students, Advocates Release First-Ever School Year Student Arrest & Summons Data; Stats Show Unequal Punishment, Over-Policing
02/22/2012

New York, NY – More than 800 students were arrested or served summonses in City schools during the last three months of 2011, according to data released today by students, parents and advocates from New York’s Dignity in Schools Campaign.  Of the nearly 300 arrests, a shocking 93.5% of students were either Black or Latino—many arrested for minor offenses.

The data – obtained by Dignity in Schools members and elected officials for the first time since the school year began – shows what students, parents and advocates have argued for years: the NYPD’s jurisdiction over school safety has resulted in unequal punishment for students of color and unnecessarily harsh punishment for students citywide.

Parents End Piccolo Elementary School Occupation After CPS Board Agrees to Meet in Run-Up to Wednesday Board Meeting
02/19/2012

Chicago, IL - Parents ended the Piccolo Elementary School occupation at 3:30pm yesterday after Vice President of CPS Board of Education, Jesse Ruiz, met with them at Piccolo and committed the rest of the Boardmembers to meet with the parents regarding their demands that the board reverse its decision to "Turnaround" Piccolo and Casals and engage with them meaningfully on a community proposal to promote educational excellence at the school.

Parents and their supporters have vowed to defend their children's school - and the public right to neighborhood public education - in their scheduled meetings with board members. Parents are guardedly optimistic as they wait for a call from CPS to confirm the times for the hour-long meetings on Monday and Tuesday with individual Boardmembers to inform them on their concerns with AUSL and have a real conversation about their community counterproposal.
 
"It's shameful that it had to come to this for CPS to engage meaningfully with parent proposal," said Cecile Carroll of the community group Blocks Together, which supported the parents' occupation.

Student Safety Act Data Reinforce the Need for Positive Alternatives to Suspensions
11/04/2011

New York, NY - Despite a decrease in major crime, suspensions in New York City public schools continue to increase and disproportionately target students of color and students with disabilities, according to alarming new data revealed through the Student Safety Act.  “This data proves what we all already knew: The Department of Education is pushing students of color out of the public school system,” said Ramale Galbrelth, 20, a senior at Bushwick Community High School and a member of Urban Youth Collaborative. “With 50% of students suspended being African American, while we are only 30% of the school population, they are setting us up for failure.”

Civil Rights Groups Announce Los Angeles School Police Department Plan to Reduce Curfew Tickets That Have Targeted Students of Color
10/19/2011

Los Angeles, CA- Yesterday the Los Angeles School Police Department unveiled protocols intended to reduce the number of daytime curfew tickets written to students. The revised procedures are a result of collaboration and discussions between Public Counsel, the Community Rights Campaign, the ACLU of Southern California, Children’s Defense Fund, CADRE, and Youth Justice Coalition — groups that work to keep students in school — and Los Angeles School Police Department (LASPD) leaders.

 

NYC Students Push Back Against School Pushout and Demand Alternatives to Suspensions and Over-Policing
10/05/2011

New York, NY - On October 4, 2011 members of the Dignity in Schools Campaign-New York gathered at City Hall Park to demand an end to the harsh and discriminatory discipline practices and lock-down conditions in many of the city’s public schools. Over 100 students, parents, teachers and community members shared their demands for the Department of Education to reduce high suspension rates and implement alternative policies that focus on resolving conflict in positive ways.

Youth and Allies Urge Lawmakers for Alternatives to Punitive Discipline Policies in Colorado
10/04/2011

Denver, Colorado - In Jefferson County, a 13-year-old boy was playing basketball on the school playground.  He slapped his friend’s behind after a good play—just as he had seen the Denver Nuggets players do the night before—and was arrested for unlawful sexual contact.  In Arapahoe County, an 11-year-old student broke a knick-knack on his teacher’s desk and was charged with criminal mischief and suspended from school.  According to Padres y Jovenes Unidos—a Denver-based non-profit organization—these stories are illustrative of a statewide problem of overly harsh school discipline policies that are pushing students into a “School-to-Jail Track.”  

28 U.S. Cities Join National Week of Action on School Pushout
10/04/2011

New York, NY - From Saturday, October 1 to Saturday, October 8th thousands of parents, youth, and educators are taking part in student-led actions and events in 28 cities to expose the school pushout crisis in our nation and advocate for the human right of every young person to a quality education and to be treated with dignity. The events and actions include street theater, public forums, rallies, restorative justice trainings, and more.

Portland Parent Union Joins School Pushout Campaign
10/04/2011

Portland, OR - Portland Parent Union is a member of Dignity in Schools and is participating in the National Week of action on School Push-out. We will be doing information actions around the city and state. It is important to educate Oregonians on the National Platform on School Pushout. PPU is working on this campaign locally with other organizations to reduce the push-out disparities.  

Chicago Parents Join National Call for an End to School Pushout
10/03/2011

Chicago, IL – On Friday, October 7, at 11:30am, leaders from POWER-PAC, a citywide organization of African American and Latino parents, will gather for a bilingual rally at Wells High School to call on the Chicago Public Schools to reduce suspensions and expulsions in favor of positive alternatives. They have also invited Congressman Danny Davis and Alderman Walter Burnett to join in support of the event.

 

Dignity in Schools Campaign Announces National Week of Action on School Pushout
09/21/2011

New York, NY - Throughout the week of October 1-8, 2011, thousands of parents, youth, and educators will participate in student-led actions and events in 27 cities to expose the school pushout crisis in our nation and advocate for the human right of every young person to a quality education and to be treated with dignity. The events and actions will include street theater, public forums, rallies, restorative justice trainings, and more.