On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Let's Demand Pencils, Not Prison
Consider this set of facts, courtesy of the Pew Center on the States: between 1987 and 2007, state spending on corrections rose by a whopping 127 percent. During that same time period, spending on higher education increased by a mere 21 percent; in some states, higher education spending actually decreased while corrections spending increased.
Where are our country's priorities? Spending such large amounts on incarceration leaves less in the pot for other critical goals, like educating our nation's youth. Far too many young people are trapped in under-resourced public schools, plagued by inadequate resources — a lack of qualified teachers, counselors, special education services, and even textbooks — and the prioritization of discipline over instruction. Overly broad zero tolerance policies and an increased use of police in schools have criminalized a wide variety of behaviors previously dealt with by teachers and principals, and funneled countless youth out of classrooms and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems — a phenomenon advocates have termed the "school-to-prison pipeline."
Youth of color are hit particularly hard by this divestment in education and over-reliance on discipline, harsh punishment and incarceration. Indeed, when African-American and white youth misbehave in school, the African-American students are far more likely than their white peers to be suspended, expelled, or arrested for the same kind of conduct. This over-criminalization extends to the justice system, where youth and adults of color are arrested, detained and incarcerated at disproportionate rates.
Now — in the midst of our economic tailspin — is our opportunity to do things differently, to rebuild our communities according to more equitable principles and a respect for human rights.
Last month, the ACLU wrote to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, asking him to use stimulus funds to provide safe, integrated, and equitable educational opportunities for all students. This type of renewed investment in quality education for all would help the United States meet its commitment to safeguarding the human rights of all Americans, especially those who continue to be subject to discrimination and inequality.
In particular, it would help the U.S. meet its treaty obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Because the U.S. ratified CERD in 1994, it is obligated to comply with and implement its provisions just as it would any other domestic law or international treaty. Last year, the United Nations Committee that oversees compliance with CERD issued a strongly-worded critique of the U.S.' record on racial and ethnic discrimination and a series of recommendations for U.S. compliance, including the adoption of measures "to reduce the persistent 'achievement gap' between students belonging to racial, ethnic or national minorities and white students…by improving the quality of education provided to these students."
This Saturday, as we celebrate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, we should demand that the U.S. respect and promote human rights here at home and lead by example by making sure that all students — especially students of color — have access to quality schools that respect their human right to education and where they can safely learn and grow.
— Nahal Zamani and Nicole Kief
Mar 21st, 2009 at 2:36pm
The problem is that the sleazyest of politicians will continue to push for harsher laws and more prisons in order to get votes from thse with lynch mob mentalities.
Mar 25th, 2009 at 6:52pm
Hey Paen, You can tell you have never been a victim of a violent crime. Give them pencils in prison. You complain about the rape victims not getting health care. What about the victims mental health. Thinking that the animal that changed their life is out on the street. Maybe he will be in a neighborhood near you. I hope not.
Apr 4th, 2009 at 3:30pm
I noticed that black male teenagers used to verbally abuse each other, with an offensive racist epithet, the n-word. When I asked that verbally abusive black male teenager about him calling other black boys nigger, he told me that it would be different, if non-blacks called them nigger. When I was a jail inmate on fabricated bogus charges in Los Angeles Twin Towers, controlled by racist and neofascist Los Angeles County Sheriff Department violated civil rights of American citizens and permanent residents by illegally segregating male prisoners by their race, color of their, which is federal offence, punishable by lengthy sentences.
I address UCLA lawyers and civil rigths attroneys to uphold civl rights of American public and to file lawsuits against racist Los Angeles County Sheriff Department that illegally segregated American citizens and denizens by color of their skin and race and withheld legal aid from them, to which I am a witness who will give one's testimony to federal attorneys about gross violations of civil rights in Los Angeles Towers. Help us recover our civil rights, for the love of the country!
Apr 9th, 2009 at 3:49pm
Hey Jeff - While there will always be people with mental defects committing offenses, a well educated population is a long-term solution to reducing crime. By the way, well educated means things like anger-management, negotiation skills, and being able to tell when you are being fed a line.
Apr 17th, 2009 at 6:16pm
My son has been harrassed because of his race in school for months. It has even to the point of another student claiming to be a member of the KKK and stated I am going to burn you with fire. These are middle school students. To date this student has receved a 3 day suspension from school. On the other hand my other son tore paper and threw books, we were told he was unsafe to be in the school. We had to find alternate school placement for him. That is the difference between white and black student at our middle school. We need help.
Apr 26th, 2009 at 4:41pm
ACLU has never did anything for my over the last 4 year's letter's that I have written to them over the year's
about DHS child welfare system as
well as our JUSTICE SYSTEM and the lie's
that come out of THE DHS case worker's
the judge's and attorney's and the
RACIAL DISCRIMANATION from our court
system's the wrongful convictions and taking children away from the parent's
the lieing of foster parents's that abuse our children and they get away with it hiding behind the court system's and child welfare and what's
really bad is the klamath tribe that does nothing to help the native ppl
but to keep children and make racial
discrimanation and remark's and lie's
but yet ACLU doe's nothing in many case
here in klamath falls oregon and use's
our tax money for there own use..
and when DHS case works gets sued
the state uses our hard tax money to pay for there mistake's in the justice system...this need's to come to a stop
ppl wake up only you can stand up and fight the justice system and clean out the system's
Apr 28th, 2009 at 2:44am
I'm sick of people of color using the race card. There are programs and grant to higher education but they don't use them. Where is the United Caucasian College Fund? Where is my Caucasian Grant money? Why is it ok for a high school to hold an "all black" graduation? If that happened anywhere else and it was an "all white" graduation Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and every ACLU supporter and news camera would crawl all over that! Quit using the color card. Go get an education and work just like everyone else. Stop seeking a hand out because your black!
May 19th, 2009 at 6:32pm
Amen JJules! That argument is so tired, and so dated. We elected a half black president (yes folks, don't forget...he's not black, he's bi-racial). That election proved it, the American people will elect the better of two choices, regardless of color. If you present yourself as educated, sane, pragmatic, etc., you'll have the respect you deserve...regardless of color. People are largely judged by their actions and behavior, not their color. Period.
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