School-to-Prison Pipeline [Infographic]

The ACLU is committed to challenging the "school-to-prison pipeline," a disturbing national trend wherein children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Many of these children have learning disabilities or histories of poverty, abuse or neglect, and would benefit from additional educational and counseling services. Instead, they are isolated, punished and pushed out.

"Zero-tolerance" policies criminalize minor infractions of school rules, while cops in school lead to students being criminalized for behavior that should be handled inside the school. Students of color are especially vulnerable to push-out trends and the discriminatory application of discipline.

The ACLU is committed to challenging the "school-to-prison pipeline," a disturbing national trend wherein children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Many of these children have learning disabilities or histories of poverty, abuse or neglect, and would benefit from additional educational and counseling services. Instead, they are isolated, punished and pushed out.

"Zero-tolerance" policies criminalize minor infractions of school rules, while cops in school lead to students being criminalized for behavior that should be handled inside the school. Students of color are especially vulnerable to push-out trends and the discriminatory application of discipline.

The "Zero-tolerance" discipline has resulted in Black students facing disproportionately harsher punishment than white students in public schools. While Black students only make up 16% of public school enrollment, they account for 42% of all students who have been suspended multiple times. This is in sharp contract to white students who represent 51% of public school enrollment yet only constitute 31% of students who serve multiple suspensions.

Black students represent 31% of school-related arrests.

Black students are suspended and expelled 3 times more than white students.

Students suspended or expelled for a discretionary violation are nearly 3 times more likely to be in contact with the juvenile justice system the following year.

School-to-Prison Pipeline: School disciplinary policies disproportionately affect Black students

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