The school-to-prison pipeline, explained

The school-to-prison pipeline starts in preschool.

Video by: Dara Lind, Liz Scheltens, Gina Barton

Read more about the school-to-prison pipeline and police in schools:

Thousands of law enforcement officers are stationed in American schools — and they're a key part of the "school-to-prison pipeline," which places students into the criminal justice system for matters of school discipline.

It started in the 90s, when schools began responding to rising crime rates with zero-tolerance policies. There were originally put in place to stop weapons and drugs from entering schools and to prevent tragedies like Columbine—these policies extended beyond to include smaller infractions such as uniform violations, talking back, insubordination, etc.

Schools in Oakland, California are exploring new ways to break the school-to-prison pipeline. These schools practice restorative justice where both parties talk out their issues instead of administrators suspending or expelling students.

[SageManeja]

police in schools... america never ceases to surprise me

[ArinGokdemir]

If you suspend a student, it goes on their record, which means they are less likely to get into college, which means they are more likely to be in poverty, which means they are more likely to commit a crime. Funny how all of our solutions in this country just exacerbate the problems. Makes you wonder whether those in charge really want to solve the problems at all.

[DiogoAlmeidaCosta]

Police in schools??? Really? America really is a weird country

[smyzo]

Wait, so some bad kids grow up to be bad adults?

[henrycheng]

There are two things we really need to think about. Our criminal justice system, and our police training. Many times, it's not whether the officer was trigger happy or just violent, but they were poorly trained and is trapped in a department with little budget.

[ShroomedMisterCraft]

I was suspended in elementary school over 100 times because I was being bullied. The principal told my dad that they couldn't do anything to all the other students because there were a bunch of them but only 1 of me. They treated me like garbage all through middlschool and I was beaten by a kid named Marquez at least once a week. I got real mean and strong in highschool and started ending up in juvie which caused me to flunk out completely in the junior year due to lack of credit. I tried the best I could given my circumstances. These days I'm so poor that I can't afford internet and can barely make the power and rent. I'm not a bad guy though, I'm just hurt and trying my best

[wel]

And what's the demographic of low-income ghetto families with large problems?

Hey you forgot about that.

[ajgrant]

A kid ditched so the principal gave him a suspension which was stupid since he didn't want to go to school in the first place

[ameliabrittain]

I was taken away by a police officer at my middle school for threatening another student and then I was suspended. It was the most degrading and humiliating experience of my life. I didn't even really threaten her. My words were taken out of context and they actually knew that and so they gave me a 3 day suspension instead of the standard week long suspension. But it also could have been because I was white. I bet if a black person were in my position at the time, they would have provably received a worse punishment. Either way, they had to file a police report on me, and it was the most awful thing to go through, especially since I was still a kid, only 12. Having to be written up, take a threat assessment test, to see if you are actually a dangerous person, and having a police report on you when you are only kid makes you feel like a criminal.

[alfredoaran]

Interesting how this seems to be an american-only problem

[amalak]

This made me tear up. I am Middle Eastern and was clumped into the Hispanic stereotype in my school years. I grew up in Arizona which is predominantly white and Hispanic (20 years ago; it is a little more diverse now). As an adult, I now recognize how I was mistreated like many of these African American students shown in this video. The maltreatment is a direct result of prejudice based on skin color. I hope that the experiment with counseling instead of suspension is practiced widespread when my children start school. I was suspended 5 times by the time I graduated high school and I really wasn't that bad. No kid should be taken down by an officer while sitting in a classroom desk...despicable and unjust use of power.

[starwolfcyberlight]

After 5 years...
_It still didn't change_

[sicsempertyrannus]

I'm an American living in the Pacific Northwest, and we have one or sometimes two police officers at our school (our school is only like 2% black). I don't know why, since the worst thing that's happened to our school was when a guy slapped another dude (he got one day suspension) and when another guy (jokingly) whipped his belt at some sixth graders (two days suspension).

[aimfulRenegade]

"Talking back" shouldn't even be against the rules.

[bridgethoosic]

"Restorative Justice" sounds like a program where schools now have to parent children. If parents were doing a better job, this wouldn't be an issue.
They gave stats on white vs black, but I would like to know the different stats on kids from single parent vs 2 parent homes.

[boc]

What can a preschooler do to get suspended? Wake up early from his nap?

[matthewnewhouse]

It's a big problem in the South. Two girls, one black and one white, had a quarrel in the lunchroom. After witnessing it, the black female was escorted out in handcuffs, while teachers came to the aid of the white female and took her to the nurse. I still will not know who is the provoker, but the fair thing to do would be to hold them both accountable. The South can surely be racist, but typically there is more racial tokenism, stares, stereotypes, etc. I could clearly remember the time in my language arts class where we had to collaborate and share ideas, so my peers and I did such. I apparently talked too loud, I prefer to talk in a firm well spoken voice when there is an obvious huge crowd of people. I was then removed from the group, only to sit in a desk behind the class, to keep in mind, this was luckily a substitute. We cannot deny that there is racism, particularly in the South. It saddens me when those who think they have a solution and then try to address it with the on going issue, face scrutiny. I come from Ainu bloodline so I appear to be much darker.

[tylersimpson]

What the fuck could a preschooler do to be suspended or expelled? Even if they murdered someone, the criminal justice system would not put the liability on the child. They're pre-sentient.

[albertopalma]

I can't believe you have the police on your schools... that is unnerving.

[easypeasypiano]

Could you link the study in which black people are more likely to be arrested, but less likely to be charged in court?