THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE: THE ISSUE, THE SOLUTION, AND GUIDE

The school to prison pipeline is threatening the fabric of our American society by placing an emphasis on juveniles entering into the criminal justice system for minor offenses. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense Fund depicts the pipeline as “funneling of students out of school and into the streets and the juvenile correction system perpetuates a cycle known as the ‘School-to-Prison-Pipeline,’ depriving children and youth of meaningful opportunities for education, future employment, and participation in our democracy”. This is especially apparent when it comes to examining how minorities (Hispanics and African-Americans) are disciplined in school in comparison to their Caucasian peers. In this post, we highlight the issue of the school to prison pipeline, solutions to dismantle the problem, guiding principles to develop in order for this issue not to persist, and conclude with an effective approach for schools to deal with discipline and prevent the school to prison pipeline from persisting.
Issue