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7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
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The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
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Advancement Project
American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi
Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP
Mississippi Coalition for the Prevention of Schoolhouse to Jailhouse
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
3/28 3(ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
ExecutiveSummaryMississippi is mired in an extreme school discipline crisis. Across the state, public schools are hindering the success of children and
YOUTHBYEMPLOYINGHARSHANDDESTRUCTIVEDISCIPLINARYPRACTICES4HESEPRACTICESNOTONLYEXCLUDESTUDENTSFROMTHECLASSROOM
THEREBYREDUCINGLEARNINGOPPORTUNITIESBUTEVENWORSE-ISSISSIPPISCHILDRENAREBEINGTRAPPEDINAPIPELINETOPRISONTOOOFTEN
FORTHEMOSTTRIVIALMISBEHAVIORS7HETHERITISADRESSCODEVIOLATIONPROFANELANGUAGEORASCHOOLYARDSCUFmEYOUNGPEOPLE
AREBEINGHERDEDINTOJUVENILEDETENTIONCENTERSANDINTOTHEREVOLVINGDOOROFTHECRIMINALJUSTICESYSTEM3ADLYNONEOFTHISIS
SHOCKING!FTERALLTHE3TATESHARSHAPPROACHTODISCIPLINESTILLALLOWSCORPORALPUNISHMENT)NFACTASONEOFONLYSTATESLEFTTHAT
PERMITTHEPADDLINGOFSTUDENTSINPUBLICSCHOOLS-ISSISSIPPIHASTHEHIGHESTPERCENTAGEOFSTUDENTSBEINGBEATENBYEDUCATORS
&INALLY-ISSISSIPPISTRACKRECORDISBEINGEXPOSED
)N/CTOBERTHE5NITED3TATES$EPARTMENTOF*USTICElLEDSUITAGAINSTTHECITYOF-ERIDIANTHE#OUNTYOF,AUDERDALETWO
YOUTHCOURTJUDGESTHE3TATEOF-ISSISSIPPIANDTWOSTATEAGENCIESFOROPERATINGASCHOOLTOPRISONPIPELINE4HECOMPLAINT
ALLEGESTHATTHESEACTORSAREhENGAG;ING=INAPATTERNORPRACTICEOFUNLAWFULCONDUCTTHROUGHWHICHTHEYROUTINELYAND
SYSTEMATICALLYARRESTANDINCARCERATECHILDRENINCLUDINGFORMINORSCHOOLRULEINFRACTIONSWITHOUTEVENTHEMOSTBASICPROCEDURAL
SAFEGUARDSANDINVIOLATIONOFTHESECHILDRENSCONSTITUTIONALRIGHTSv3 Among other disturbing facts, the complaint alleges
THAT-ERIDIANSCHOOLSREPEATEDLYRESPONDTOINFRACTIONSSUCHAShDISRESPECTvhREFUSALTOFOLLOWDIRECTIONSvANDhPROFANITYvBY
REFERRINGSTUDENTSTOLAWENFORCEMENT4HEYALSOROUTINELYSUSPENDSTUDENTSONJUVENILEPROBATIONRESULTINGINTHEIRAUTOMATIC
INCARCERATIONFORSUCHLOWLEVELBEHAVIORSASUSEOFVULGARLANGUAGEmATULENCEINCLASSANDDRESSCODEINFRACTIONSLIKEHAVINGA
shirt untucked.4
7HILETHESUITISTHEMOSTRECENTEVENTTOSOUNDTHEALARMTHESCHOOLTOPRISONPIPELINEISNOTHINGNEWTO-ISSISSIPPIANDITIS
CERTAINLYNOTUNIQUETO-ERIDIAN)NFACTITISAPROBLEMTHATHASPLAGUED-ISSISSIPPISCHOOLSSTATEWIDEFORYEARS&ORWELLOVERA
DECADEHEARTBREAKINGSTORIESOFEXTREMEDISCIPLINEANDTHECRIMINALIZATIONOFYOUNGPEOPLEHAVEPOUREDOUTOF-ISSISSIPPIPUBLIC
schools.
)NWHATBEGANWITHAFEWSTUDENTSPLAYFULLYTHROWINGPEANUTSATONEANOTHERONASCHOOLBUSENDEDINlVE
"LACK MALE HIGHSCHOOLSTUDENTSBEINGARRESTEDFORFELONYASSAULT WHICH CARRIESA MAXIMUMPENALTY OFlVEYEARS
INPRISON7HENONEOFTHEPEANUTSACCIDENTALLYHITTHEWHITEFEMALEBUSDRIVERTHEBUSDRIVERIMMEDIATELYPULLED
OVERTO CALLTHEPOLICEWHO DIVERTEDTHEBUSTOTHE COURTHOUSEWHERETHESTUDENTSWEREQUESTIONED5
4HE3HERIFFCOMMENTEDTOONENEWSPAPERh;4=HISTIMEITWASPEANUTSBUTIFWEDONTGETAHANDLEONITTHENEXTTIMEITCOULD
BEBODIESv6
Around the same time, for one 4th grade Black girl, minor disrespectful behavior led to her being pushed out of her
SCHOOLENTIRELY!FTERREFUSINGTOPARTICIPATEINACLASSASSIGNMENTSHEWASSUSPENDEDOUTOFSCHOOLFORTHREEDAYS
FORhDElANCEOFAUTHORITYv3UBSEQUENTLYSHEWASGIVENANOTHERTHREEDAYOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONFORhDElANCEOF
AUTHORITYvFORHUMMINGANDTAPPINGHERDESK4HESCHOOLTHENREFERREDHERTOANALTERNATIVEEDUCATIONPROGRAMFOR
hDRUGRELATEDACTIVITYvWHENSHEWOREONEPANTLEGUPALTHOUGHTHEREWASNOOTHERINDICATIONOFANYINVOLVEMENT
WITHDRUGS7HENTHEALTERNATIVESCHOOLWOULDNOTACCEPTHERBECAUSEITPROVIDEDINSTRUCTIONFORGRADESONLY
the school district promoted her despite her failing grades, in order to get her out of the mainstream school.7
-ORERECENTLYININ3OUTHAVEN$E3OTO#OUNTYARMEDPOLICEOFlCERSRESPONDEDTOANARGUMENTBETWEENTHREE
STUDENTSONASCHOOLBUSBYREPORTEDLYARRESTINGAHALFDOZEN"LACKSTUDENTSCHOKINGANDTACKLINGONE"LACKFEMALE
STUDENTANDTHREATENINGTOSHOOTTHEOTHERSTUDENTSONTHEBUSBETWEENTHEIREYES8
)NONE"LACKMOTHERIN(OLMES#OUNTYREPORTEDOPENINGHERDOORONEMORNINGTOAPOLICEOFlCERONHER
DOORSTEP/VERHISSHOULDERSHECOULDSEEHERFRIGHTENEDlVEYEAROLDSONLOCKEDINTHEBACKSEAT(ERCHILDSCRIME
VIOLATINGTHEDRESSCODE(ERSONSSCHOOLREQUIREDSOLIDBLACKSHOESANDDESPITEHERBESTEFFORTSTOCOVERTHEMWITH
ABLACKMARKERREDANDWHITESYMBOLSWERESTILLVISIBLEONHERSONSBLACKSHOES7HENSHEFOLLOWEDUPWITHHERSONS
PRINCIPALHEJUSTIlEDHISACTIONSBYTELLINGHERTHATHERSONNEEDEDTOBEhTAUGHTALESSONv
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
4/284 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
)NIN*ACKSON0UBLIC3CHOOL$ISTRICTUNTILALAWSUITWASlLEDSTAFFATONESCHOOLREGULARLYHANDCUFFEDSTUDENTSTO
METALRAILINGSINTHESCHOOLGYMNASIUMANDLEFTTHEMTHEREFORHOURSIFTHEYWERECAUGHTNOTWEARINGABELTAMONG
OTHERMINORINFRACTIONS&OREXAMPLEONEYEAROLDBOYWASREPORTEDLYHANDCUFFEDTOTHERAILINGWHENHEWOREA
STOCKINGCAPTOCLASSTHREWHISPAPERSONTHEGROUNDANDREFUSEDTODOHISSCHOOLWORK
)NTHELASTFEWYEARSIN -ERIDIANA MALE STUDENTESTIMATEDTHAT HEWENTBACKANDFORTHBETWEENSCHOOLANDTHE
JUVENILEJUSTICESYSTEMTHIRTY TIMES )NthGRADEHEWASPUTONPROBATIONBYAYOUTHCOURTJUDGEFORGETTINGINTO
AlGHT3INCETHENREPORTEDLYANYINFRACTIONEVENSOMEASMINORASBEINGA FEWMINUTESLATETO CLASSOR WEARING
THEWRONGCOLORSOCKSINVIOLATIONOFTHEDRESSCODEWASCOUNTEDASAVIOLATIONOFHISPROBATIONANDRESULTEDIN
immediate suspension and incarceration in the local juvenile detention center.
4HESESTORIESBEGINTOPROVIDEAGLIMPSEINTOTHEDEVASTATINGREALITYOFTHESTUDENTSANDFAMILIESLIVINGIN-ISSISSIPPISSCHOOLTO
PRISONPIPELINE%VERYYEARACROSSTHE3TATEZEROTOLERANCEANDOTHEROVERLYHARSHSCHOOLDISCIPLINARYPOLICIESANDPRACTICESPUSH
TENSOFTHOUSANDSOFSTUDENTSOUTOFSCHOOLCRIMINALIZINGANDINCARCERATINGSTUDENTSFORTRIVIALMISBEHAVIORSANDNORMALAGE
APPROPRIATEMISCONDUCT!ND-ISSISSIPPISEXTREMESCHOOLDISCIPLINECRISISHASBROADREACHINGEFFECTSTHEHARMITCAUSESEXTENDS
EVENBEYOND-ISSISSIPPISCHILDRENANDFAMILIESREACHINGOUTINTOITSCOMMUNITIESTOITSTEACHERSANDLAWENFORCEMENTOFlCIALS
and to the State at large.
4HISREPORTDISCUSSESTHEWAYSINWHICHTHESEEXTREMEANDDESTRUCTIVEAPPROACHESTOSCHOOLDISCIPLINENOTONLYHAVEDIRECTLYHARMEDSTUDENTSANDFAMILIESBUTALSOHAVECAUSEDTEACHERSLAWENFORCEMENTOFlCIALSANDCOMMUNITYMEMBERSTOHAVE
THEIRLIVESANDCAREERSMADEMOREDIFlCULTBYTHESEINEFFECTIVEANDCOUNTERPRODUCTIVESCHOOLDISCIPLINEPOLICIESANDPRACTICES
&URTHERMORETHEENTIRESTATEOF-ISSISSIPPIHASSUFFEREDDAMAGETOITSECONOMICHEALTHANDWELLBEING'IVENTHISTHE3TATESHOULD
ELIMINATEITSSCHOOLTOPRISONPIPELINEANDTHISREPORTPROVIDESRECOMMENDATIONSFORHOWITSHOULDBEGINTODOSO
THE FIRST SECTION OF THE REPORT PROVIDES A BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE
CURRENT STATE OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE IN MISSISSIPPI.
)NRECENTYEARSTHELAWENFORCEMENTSTRATEGIESTHATHAVEFUELEDTHEMASSINCARCERATIONCRISISINTHEADULTCRIMINALJUSTICESYSTEM
HAVEBEENINAPPROPRIATELYECHOEDINTHESCHOOLDISCIPLINEPOLICIESAPPLIEDTO-ISSISSIPPISSTUDENTS)N,AUDERDALE#OUNTYFOR
EXAMPLETHESCHOOLDISTRICTSHANDBOOKADOPTSAVERSIONOFMANDATORYMINIMUMSENTENCINGBYREQUIRINGINSCHOOLSUSPENSIONOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONOREXPULSIONFORMANYOFFENSESEVENSOMEHIGHLYSUBJECTIVEBEHAVIORSLIKEhINSUBORDINATIONv)NTHE
0ASCAGOULA3CHOOL$ISTRICTTHEDISTRICTUSESAhBROKENWINDOWSvSTRATEGYALAWENFORCEMENTSTRATEGYOFAGGRESSIVELYPOLICING
TRADITIONALLYIGNOREDMINOROFFENSESWITHTHEINTENDEDPURPOSEOFPREVENTINGMORESERIOUSCRIMES&OREXAMPLETHEDISTRICTS
DISCIPLINARYPOLICYALLOWSFORANIMMEDIATEOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONANDORRECOMMENDATIONFOREXPULSIONFORhANYACTIONWHICH
ISDEEMEDDISORDERLYCONDUCTORMISCONDUCTvINCLUDINGMISBEHAVIORASMINORASREFUSALTOGIVEANAME
-ISSISSIPPISCHOOLSARRESTSTUDENTSANDREFERSTUDENTSTOJUVENILEDETENTIONCENTERSATHIGHRATESANDDOSOMOSTLYFORTYPICAL
ADOLESCENTNONVIOLENTBEHAVIOR&OREXAMPLEINONEOF-ISSISSIPPISLARGESTSCHOOLDISTRICTS*ACKSON0UBLIC3CHOOLSONLYOF
ARRESTSONSCHOOLGROUNDSDURINGTHESCHOOLYEARWEREFORBEHAVIORTHATACTUALLYPOSEDASERIOUSTHREATTOSTUDENTS
staff, or the school.)NFACTTHEMOSTPREVALENTOFFENSEACCOUNTINGFORABOUTONETHIRDOFARRESTSONSCHOOLGROUNDSWASTHE
VAGUEANDSUBJECTIVEOFFENSEOFhDISORDERLYCONDUCTv
-ISSISSIPPIS"LACKSTUDENTSAREHITTHEHARDESTBYHARSHDISCIPLINEPRACTICES3TATEWIDETHEYARETHREETIMESMORELIKELYTORECEIVE
ANOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONTHANTHEIR7HITEPEERSWITHANEVENGREATERDISPARITYINSOMESCHOOLDISTRICTS)N,AWRENCE#OUNTY
FOREXAMPLE"LACKSTUDENTSAREEIGHTTIMESMORELIKELYTORECEIVEANOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONTHAN7HITESTUDENTS
-ISSISSIPPISTUDENTSAREALSOMORELIKELYTORECEIVEANOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONTHANSTUDENTSINITSNEIGHBORINGSTATESOF
,OUISIANA'EORGIA!LABAMA4EXASOR!RKANSAS !MONG-ISSISSIPPISSCHOOLDISTRICTSSEVERALHAVETHEDISHONOROFMAINTAINING
OUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONRATESTHATAREOVERNINETIMESHIGHERTHANTHENATIONALAVERAGE
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
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THE SECOND SECTION OF THE REPORT EXAMINES HOW THESE HARSH SCHOOL DISCIPLINARY
PRACTICES HAVE UNDERMINED THE WORK OF MISSISSIPPI EDUCATORS AND OVERALL
PROGRESS IN THE STATE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
$ESPITETHESCHOOLREFORMEFFORTSOF-ISSISSIPPISEDUCATORSANDPOLICYMAKERSTHE3TATESGRADUATIONRATESREMAINAMONGTHE
LOWESTINTHECOUNTRY!CCORDINGTO%DUCATION7EEK-ISSISSIPPIRANKSOUTOFTHESTATESFORITSGRADUATIONRATE-ISSISSIPPIS
HARSHDISCIPLINARYPRACTICESARELIKELYUNDERMININGSUCHEFFORTS
!SDISCUSSEDBELOWAGROWINGBODYOFRESEARCHANDDECADESOFEXPERIENCETELLUSTHATTHEOVERUSEANDMISUSEOFHARSHDISCIPLINARYCONSEQUENCESLIKEOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONEXPULSIONANDREFERRALSTOLAWENFORCEMENTINHIBITSTUDENTACHIEVEMENT
4HEYRESULTINMASSIVEAMOUNTSOFLOSTLEARNINGTIMEANDFREQUENTLYTRIGGERCYCLESOFDISENGAGEMENTFROMSCHOOLANDAN
escalation of rule breaking.3IMPLYPUTTHEREARENOSUCCESSFULSCHOOLSTHATSUSPENDEXPELANDREFERLARGENUMBERSOFSTUDENTS
TOLAWENFORCEMENT
9ETTHEREARENOSTATEWIDEPRESCRIBEDSTANDARDSFORSCHOOLDISCIPLINETHATENSURETHATTHECODESOFSTUDENTCONDUCTIN-ISSISSIPPIS
SCHOOLDISTRICTSMEETBASICSTANDARDSOFFAIRNESSANDCOMMONSENSE4HISLACKOFSTANDARDSALLOWSSCHOOLSTOUSEHARSHAND
EXTREMEPUNISHMENTSFORMINORINFRACTIONS3UCHHARSHANDEXTREMEPUNISHMENTWORKSATCROSSPURPOSESWITHTHE3TATESSCHOOL
IMPROVEMENTEFFORTSANDEDUCATORSEFFORTSTOPROMOTETEACHINGANDLEARNINGINHEALTHYANDPRODUCTIVEWAYS&OREXAMPLE%AST
*ASPER3CHOOL$ISTRICTSMIDDLESCHOOLDISCIPLINEPOLICIESSTATETHATAWIDERANGEOFMINORBEHAVIORSSUCHAShREFUSALTOGIVENAME
UPONREQUESTvORhREFUSALTOCOMPLYWITHGROOMINGRULESvCANRESULTINOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONFORAlRSTOFFENSEANDLEADTO
expulsion after a third offense.
&URTHERMORETHEHARMFULEFFECTOFHARSHSCHOOLDISCIPLINARYPOLICIESONTHE-ISSISSIPPIEDUCATIONSYSTEMISOFTENEXACERBATEDIN
SCHOOLSWITHAPOLICEANDORSECURITYPRESENCEWHERESTUDENTSAREREGULARLYARRESTEDORREFERREDTOTHEJUVENILEJUSTICESYSTEM!S
DISCUSSEDBELOWRESEARCHHASSHOWNTHATTHESEDYNAMICSPREVENTSCHOOLSFROMBEINGASAFEHAVENFORYOUNGPEOPLELEADINGTO
deepening student resentment and further deterioration of school climate.
THE THIRD SECTION OF THE REPORT DISCUSSES HOW MISGUIDED DISCIPLINARY MEASURES HARM
LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL AND OVERALL PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
(ARSHDISCIPLINARYAPPROACHESWORKATCROSSPURPOSESWITHLAWENFORCEMENTEFFORTSTOENFORCELAWSANDPREVENTCRIMEBECAUSE
ITPUTSYOUNGPEOPLEATHOMEWITHOUTADULTSUPERVISIONINCREASESTHELIKELIHOODTHATTHEYWILLENGAGEINFUTUREMISBEHAVIOR
INCREASESTHELIKELIHOODTHATSTUDENTSWILLDROPOUTOFSCHOOLANDINCREASESTHERISKTHATTHEYWILLBEFUNNELEDINTOTHEJUSTICE
SYSTEM
3TUDENTSNEGATIVEORTRAUMATICEXPERIENCESWITHPOLICEOFlCERSINSCHOOLALSORESULTININCREASEDANTAGONISMANDRESENTMENT
TOWARDLAWENFORCEMENTWHICHCONTINUESBEYONDTHESCHOOLHOUSEDOOR4HISCANFRUSTRATETHEEFFORTSOFMANYHIGHQUALITYLAW
ENFORCEMENTOFlCIALSBECAUSEITWEAKENSTHEIRRELATIONSHIPSWITHTHECOMMUNITIESTHEYSERVE)TALSOCOMPROMISESTHEIRSAFETYAS
THEYCONTINUETOWORKINTHESECOMMUNITIES
&INALLYWHERELAWENFORCEMENTOFlCERSAREFOCUSEDONTHENONVIOLENTANDTRIVIALMISBEHAVIORSOFSTUDENTSTHEIRENERGIESARE
DIVERTEDFROMTHESERIOUSCRIMINALBEHAVIORSTHATERODEPUBLICSAFETYANDPUBLICHEALTH
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
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THE FOURTH SECTION OF THE REPORT ADDRESSES HOW HARSH DISCIPLINE WEAKENS MISSISSIPPIS
ECONOMY AND IS COSTLY TO ITS TAXPAYERS.
4HEUSEOFHARSHDISCIPLINARYPOLICIESHASHADANDWILLCONTINUETOHAVEDRAMATICIMPLICATIONSFOR-ISSISSIPPISECONOMICHEALTH
ANDWELLBEING)FTHE3TATECONTINUESTOCLINGTOTHESEFAILEDPOLICIESITWILLLITERALLYPAYTHEPRICEINTHEFORMOFFAILINGSCHOOLS
deteriorating communities, and lost tax revenue.
-ISSISSIPPILEGISLATORSSHOULDCONSIDERTHEHUGEAMOUNTSOFMONEYSPENTEVERYYEARONMAINTAININGTHECURRENTSCHOOLDISCIPLINE
POLICIESANDPRACTICES4HECOSTSASSOCIATEDWITHSUCHhGETTOUGHvPOLICIESTONAMEJUSTAFEWINCLUDETHECOSTOFSECURITYGUARDSANDSCHOOLPOLICEOFlCERSTHECOSTOFSECURITYEQUIPMENTSCHOOLADMINISTRATIVECOSTSASSOCIATEDWITHPROCESSINGSUSPENSIONS
EXPULSIONSANDOTHERHARSHDISCIPLINARYMEASURESCOSTSOFINCARCERATINGYOUTHANDCOURTADMINISTRATIVECOSTS
4HEIMPACTON-ISSISSIPPISECONOMYISFURTHERCOMPOUNDEDBYTHELONGTERMCOSTSOFLOSTTAXREVENUEYOUTHWHODONOT
GRADUATEFROMHIGHSCHOOLEARNSUBSTANTIALLYLESSOVERTHEIRLIFETIMEHIGHERPUBLICHEALTHANDPUBLICASSISTANCECOSTSANDHIGHER
criminal justice costs.%CONOMISTSHAVEESTIMATEDTHATEACHSTUDENTWHOGRADUATESFROMHIGHSCHOOLONAVERAGEGENERATES
ECONOMICBENElTSTOTHEPUBLICSECTOROFOVERHERORHISLIFETIME
THE FINAL SECTION OF THE REPORT PROPOSES
FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MISSISSIPPI STATE LEGISLATORS.
4HE3TATEFACESACHOICEBETWEENCONTINUINGTOhGETTOUGHvONSCHOOLDISCIPLINEORSTARTINGTOhGETSMARTvABOUTHOWWETREATOUR
YOUTH3TATELEGISLATORSSHOULDCONSIDERPOLICIESTHATIMPROVESCHOOLQUALITYPUBLICHEALTHPUBLICSAFETYANDECONOMICPROSPERITY
throughout the State through the implementation of common sense school discipline. Recommendations for such policies
INCLUDE
1.Guided Discretion. 7ERECOMMENDREQUIRINGSCHOOLDISTRICTSTODEVELOPPOLICIESTHATUSEAGRADUATEDAPPROACHTODISCIPLINEANDAREBASEDONDISCIPLINARYhBESTPRACTICESvWHILEALLOWINGDISTRICTSTORETAINSIGNIlCANTCONTROLOVER
SHAPINGLOCALDISCIPLINARYSTRATEGIES
2.Meaningful Accountability and Transparency.7ERECOMMENDIMPROVINGSTATEWIDETRANSPARENCYANDACCOUNTABILITYBY
! 2EQUIRINGSCHOOLDISTRICTSTOSUBMITQUARTERLYREPORTSOFTHEIRDISCIPLINEDATATOTHE-ISSISSIPPI
$EPARTMENTOF%DUCATION-$%ATLEASTFORTHENEXTTWOYEARS
" 2EQUIRING-$%TOREVIEWTHEDISTRICTDATAANDUSEITTODETERMINEWHICHDISTRICTSAREFOLLOWINGTHEBEST
PRACTICESLISTEDIN2ECOMMENDATIONANDREQUIREACTIONPLANSFROMTHOSETHATAREOUTOFCOMPLIANCE
RELEASEANNUALREPORTSOFSTATEWIDEDISCIPLINEDATAPROVIDEANOPPORTUNITYFORPUBLICCOMMENTATTHE
ENDOFBOTHTHElRSTANDSECONDYEARSOFREPORTINGMAKERECOMMENDATIONSTOTHELEGISLATUREATTHE
ENDOFTHESECONDYEAROFREPORTINGFORHOWTOENSUREDISTRICTCOMPLIANCEWITHTHEBESTPRACTICESLISTEDIN
2ECOMMENDATION
3. Resources and Incentives for Developing Safer and More Effective Schools. We recommend creating a grantprogram to support school districts in the development of positive school climates.
4.Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration.7ERECOMMENDPROVIDINGFUNDINGANDINCENTIVESTOENCOURAGECOMMUNITYstakeholders and local agenciesincluding, but not limited to students, parents, school districts, the juvenile justice
SYSTEMLAWENFORCEMENTCOMMUNITYORGANIZATIONSANDSOCIALSERVICEGROUPSTOADOPTA#OOPERATIVE!GREEMENTOR
-EMORANDUMOF5NDERSTANDINGFORTHEPURPOSEOFWORKINGTOGETHERTOREDUCETHENUMBEROFSTUDENTSENTERINGTHE
JUVENILEANDCRIMINALJUSTICESYSTEM
5. Improved Training.7ERECOMMENDFUNDINGTHE-$%TODEVELOPANDIMPLEMENTTRAININGCURRICULAANDTODIRECTLOCALDISTRICTSTOTRAINEDUCATORSSCHOOLRESOURCEOFlCERSANDOTHERSCHOOLSTAFFONTHELOCALDISCIPLINEPOLICYINORDER
to ensure all are informed of their roles and responsibilities.
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
7/28(ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
INTRODUCTION-UCHHASBEENWRITTENINRECENTYEARSABOUTHOWZEROTOLERANCEANDOTHERHARSHSCHOOLDISCIPLINARYPOLICIESANDPRACTICES
HAVEFAILEDTOMAKESCHOOLSSAFERORMOREEFFECTIVE4HEREHASBEENEXTENSIVERESEARCHANDDOCUMENTATIONOFTHEDEVASTATING
HARMCAUSEDTOYOUTHANDPARTICULARLYYOUTHOFCOLOR9ETACROSS-ISSISSIPPIPUBLICSCHOOLSAREUSINGZEROTOLERANCEANDOTHER
DESTRUCTIVEPOLICIESANDPRACTICESEXCLUDINGSTUDENTSFROMTHECLASSROOMANDTRAPPING-ISSISSIPPISYOUTHINAPIPELINETOPRISON
Mississippi is mired in an extreme school discipline crisis.
)NTHEMOSTRECENTEVENTTOSOUNDTHEALARMTHE5NITED3TATES$EPARTMENTOF*USTICElLEDSUITIN/CTOBERAGAINSTTHECITY
OF-ERIDIANTHE#OUNTYOF,AUDERDALETWOYOUTHCOURTJUDGESTHE3TATEOF-ISSISSIPPIANDSTATEAGENCIESFOROPERATINGASCHOOL
TOPRISONPIPELINE4HECOMPLAINTALLEGESTHATTHESEACTORSAREhENGAG;ING=INAPATTERNORPRACTICEOFUNLAWFULCONDUCTTHROUGH
WHICHTHEYROUTINELYANDSYSTEMATICALLYARRESTANDINCARCERATECHILDRENINCLUDINGFORMINORSCHOOLRULEINFRACTIONSWITHOUT
EVENTHEMOSTBASICPROCEDURALSAFEGUARDSANDINVIOLATIONOFTHESECHILDRENSCONSTITUTIONALRIGHTSv!MONGOTHEREXTREMELY
DISTURBINGFACTSTHECOMPLAINTALLEGESTHAT-ERIDIANSCHOOLSREPEATEDLYRESPONDTOINFRACTIONSSUCHAShDISRESPECTvhREFUSALTO
FOLLOWDIRECTIONSvANDhPROFANITYvBYREFERRINGSTUDENTSTOLAWENFORCEMENT4HEYALSOROUTINELYSUSPENDEDSTUDENTSONJUVENILE
PROBATIONRESULTINGINTHEIRAUTOMATICINCARCERATIONFORSUCHLOWLEVELBEHAVIORSASUSEOFVULGARLANGUAGEmATULENCEINCLASSAND
dress code infractions like having a shirt untucked.33
"UTWHILETHESUITISTHEMOSTRECENTEVENTTOSOUNDTHEALARMTHESCHOOLTOPRISONPIPELINEISNOTHINGNEWIN-ISSISSIPPIANDITISCERTAINLYNOTUNIQUETO-ERIDIAN)NFACTITISAPROBLEMTHATHASPLAGUED-ISSISSIPPISCHOOLSSTATEWIDEFORYEARS&ORWELLOVERA
DECADEHEARTBREAKINGSTORIESOFEXTREMEDISCIPLINEANDTHECRIMINALIZATIONOFYOUNGPEOPLEHAVEPOUREDOUTOF-ISSISSIPPIPUBLIC
schools.
)NWHATBEGANWITHAFEWSTUDENTSPLAYFULLYTHROWINGPEANUTSATONEOTHERONASCHOOLBUSENDEDINlVE"LACK
MALEHIGHSCHOOLSTUDENTSBEINGARRESTEDFORFELONYASSAULTWHICHCARRIESAMAXIMUMPENALTYOFlVEYEARSINPRISON
7HENONEOFTHEPEANUTSACCIDENTALLYHITTHEWHITEFEMALEBUSDRIVERTHEBUSDRIVERIMMEDIATELYPULLEDOVERTOCALL
THEPOLICEWHODIVERTEDTHEBUSTOTHECOURTHOUSEWHERETHESTUDENTSWEREQUESTIONED344HE3HERIFFCOMMENTED
TOONENEWSPAPERh;4 =HISTIMEITWASPEANUTSBUTIFWEDONTGETAHANDLEONITTHENEXTTIMEITCOULDBEBODIESv35
Around the same time, for one 4th grade Black girl, minor disrespectful behavior led to her being pushed out of her
SCHOOLENTIRELY!FTERREFUSINGTOPARTICIPATEINACLASSASSIGNMENTSHEWASSUSPENDEDOUTOFSCHOOLFORTHREEDAYS
FORhDElANCEOFAUTHORITYv3UBSEQUENTLYSHEWASGIVENANOTHERTHREEDAYOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONFORhDElANCEOF
AUTHORITYvFORHUMMINGANDTAPPINGHERDESK4HESCHOOLTHENREFERREDHERTOANALTERNATIVEEDUCATIONPROGRAMFOR
hDRUGRELATEDACTIVITYvWHENSHEWOREONEPANTLEGUPALTHOUGHTHEREWASNOOTHERINDICATIONOFANYINVOLVEMENT
WITHDRUGS7HENTHEALTERNATIVESCHOOLWOULDNOTACCEPTHERBECAUSEITPROVIDEDINSTRUCTIONFORGRADESONLY
the school district promoted her despite her failing grades, in order to get her out of the mainstream school.36
-ORERECENTLYONE"LACKMOTHERIN(OLMES#OUNTYREPORTEDOPENINGHERDOORONEMORNINGTOAPOLICEOFlCERONHER
DOORSTEP/VERHISSHOULDERSHECOULDSEEHERFRIGHTENEDlVEYEAROLDSONLOCKEDINTHEBACKSEAT(ERCHILDSCRIME
VIOLATINGTHEDRESSCODE(ERSONSSCHOOLREQUIREDSOLIDBLACKSHOESANDDESPITEHERBESTEFFORTSTOCOVERTHEMWITH
ABLACKMARKERREDANDWHITESYMBOLSWERESTILLVISIBLEONHERSONSBLACKSHOES7HENSHEFOLLOWEDUPWITHHERSONS
PRINCIPALHEJUSTIlEDHISACTIONSBYTELLINGHERTHATHERSONNEEDEDTOBEhTAUGHTALESSONv37
)NIN3OUTHAVEN$E3OTO#OUNTYARMEDPOLICEOFlCERSRESPONDEDTOANARGUMENTBETWEENTHREESTUDENTSON
ASCHOOLBUSBYREPORTEDLYARRESTINGAHALFDOZEN"LACKSTUDENTSCHOKINGANDTACKLINGONE"LACKFEMALESTUDENTAND
THREATENINGTOSHOOTTHEOTHERSTUDENTSONTHEBUSBETWEENTHEIREYES38
)NIN*ACKSON0UBLIC3CHOOL$ISTRICTUNTILALAWSUITWASlLEDSTAFFATONESCHOOLREGULARLYHANDCUFFEDSTUDENTSTO
METALRAILINGSINTHESCHOOLGYMNASIUMANDLEFTTHEMTHEREFORHOURSIFTHEYWERECAUGHTNOTWEARINGABELTAMONG
OTHERMINORINFRACTIONS&OREXAMPLEONEYEAROLDBOYWASREPORTEDLYHANDCUFFEDTOTHERAILINGWHENHEWOREA
STOCKINGCAPTOCLASSTHREWHISPAPERSONTHEGROUNDANDREFUSEDTODOHISSCHOOLWORK
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
8/288 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
)N A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WAS SUSPENDED AND SENT TO ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL FOR lVE WEEKS AFTER HIS SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORSLEARNEDABOUTARAPSONGHEHADWRITTENANDRECORDEDWHILEATHOMEABOUTHISSCHOOL
)NTHELASTFEWYEARSIN -ERIDIANA MALE STUDENTESTIMATEDTHAT HEWENTBACKANDFORTHBETWEENSCHOOLANDTHE
JUVENILEJUSTICESYSTEMTHIRTY TIMES )NthGRADEHEWASPUTONPROBATIONBYAYOUTHCOURTJUDGEFORGETTINGINTO
AlGHT3INCETHENREPORTEDLYANYINFRACTIONEVENSOMEASMINORASBEINGA FEWMINUTESLATETO CLASSOR WEARING
THEWRONGCOLOR SOCKSIN VIOLATION OFTHE DRESSCODE WERE COUNTEDASVIOLATIONSOF HISPROBATIONANDRESULTEDIN
immediate suspension and incarceration in the local juvenile detention center.
4HESEAREJUSTAHANDFULOFSTORIESFROMAMONGTHETENSOFTHOUSANDSOF-ISSISSIPPISTUDENTSWHOEVERYYEARAREHAVINGTHEIRLIVES
TURNEDCOMPLETELYUPSIDEDOWNBYHARSHDISCIPLINARYCONSEQUENCESTOOOFTENINRESPONSETOMINORAGEAPPROPRIATEMISTAKESLIKE
VIOLATINGDRESSCODESMAKINGSARCASTICREMARKSANDlGHTINGWITHTHEIRPEERS
7HENHARSHDISCIPLINARYPOLICIESANDPRACTICESREMOVEHUGENUMBERSOFSTUDENTSFROMSCHOOLOFTENSENDINGTHEMINTOTHE
JUVENILEANDCRIMINALJUSTICESYSTEMSTHEHARMTOINDIVIDUALYOUTHANDFAMILIESISOBVIOUS7HATISLESSOBVIOUSHOWEVERISTHE
DAMAGETHATTEACHERSLAWENFORCEMENTOFlCIALSCOMMUNITIESANDTHE3TATEOVERALLHAVEALSOSUFFEREDOVERTHELASTDECADE
BECAUSEOFTHESEEXTREMEDISCIPLINARYPRACTICES
4HISREPORTWILLBEGINWITHABRIEFBACKGROUNDONTHECURRENTSTATEOFSCHOOLDISCIPLINEIN-ISSISSIPPI)TWILLTHENDISCUSSTHEIMPACT
OFTHESEhGETTOUGHvAPPROACHESTOSCHOOLDISCIPLINE!NANALYSISOFTHESEEXTREMEANDDESTRUCTIVESCHOOLDISCIPLINEPRACTICES
SHOWSTHAT
s (ARSHSCHOOLDISCIPLINARYPRACTICESHAVEUNDERMINEDTHEWORKOF-ISSISSIPPIEDUCATORSANDIMPEDEDTHEOVERALLPROGRESS
OFTHESTATEEDUCATIONSYSTEM
s -ISSISSIPPILAWENFORCEMENTOFlCIALSAREMADELESSEFFECTIVEANDOVERALLPUBLICSAFETYANDHEALTHARECOMPROMISEDBY
THISMISGUIDEDDISCIPLINARYAPPROACH
s (ARSHDISCIPLINEWEAKENS-ISSISSIPPISECONOMYANDISCOSTLYTOITSTAXPAYERS
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
9/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
I.TheCurrentStateofSchoolDiscipline)NRECENTYEARSSCHOOLDISTRICTSHAVEBEENADOPTINGANDAPPLYINGTOYOUTHTHESAMESTRATEGIESTHATHAVELEDTOTHEMASS
incarceration of adults.4HREEOFTHEMOSTSIGNIlCANTSTRATEGIESMANDATORYMINIMUMSENTENCINGTHREESTRIKESLAWSANDhBROKEN
WINDOWSvPOLICINGALAWENFORCEMENTSTRATEGYOFAGGRESSIVELYPOLICINGTRADITIONALLYIGNOREDMINOROFFENSESWITHTHEINTENDED
PURPOSEOFPREVENTINGMORESERIOUSCRIMESAREECHOEDTHROUGHOUTSTUDENTDISCIPLINEPOLICIESACROSS-ISSISSIPPI&OREXAMPLE
s -ANDATORYMINIMUMSENTENCING4HEPOLICIESOF,AUDERDALE#OUNTYREQUIREINSCHOOLSUSPENSIONOUTOFSCHOOL
SUSPENSIONOREXPULSIONFORMANYOFFENSESEVENSOMEHIGHLYSUBJECTIVEBEHAVIORSLIKEhINSUBORDINATIONv43
s 4HREESTRIKES3OUTH$ELTA3CHOOL$ISTRICTMANDATESTHATSTUDENTSWHOCAUSEAhDISTRACTIONvINCLASSTWOTIMESARESUBJECT
to be sent to alternative education the third time.44
s "ROKENWINDOWS4HEPOLICIESOF-OSS0OINT3CHOOL$ISTRICTSTATETHATVIRTUALLYANYMISBEHAVIORCANRESULTINA
student being expelled.450ASCAGOULA3CHOOL$ISTRICTALSOALLOWSFORANIMMEDIATEOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONANDOR
RECOMMENDATIONFOREXPULSIONFORhANYACTIONWHICHISDEEMEDDISORDERLYCONDUCTORMISCONDUCTvINCLUDINGMISBEHAVIO
as minor as refusal to give a name.46
4HEPRIMARYEFFECTOFTHESEPRACTICESHASBEENTOPUSHOUTANDCRIMINALIZELARGENUMBERSOF-ISSISSIPPISSTUDENTSFORAWHOLE
RANGEOFBEHAVIORSMANYOFWHICHHADNOTPREVIOUSLYBEENCONSIDEREDTOBEGROUNDSFORSCHOOLEXCLUSIONORTHOUGHTOFASBEING
hCRIMINALv
1) Mississippi schools arrest students and refer students to juvenile detention centers at high rates,and mostly for typical adolescent, non-violent behavior.
s -ISSISSIPPISCHOOLSARETOOOFTENRESPONDINGTONORMALADOLESCENTBEHAVIORWITHTHEMOSTSEVERESCHOOLDISCIPLINARY
RESPONSEARRESTINGANDORREFERRINGTHESTUDENTTOJUVENILEDETENTIONCENTERS)N-C#OMB3CHOOL$ISTRICTFOREXAMPLE
PUBLICSCHOOLSINREFERREDOUTOFEVERYSTUDENTSINTHEIRSTUDENTSCHOOLSYSTEM4
s 2EFERRALTOLAWENFORCEMENTANDTHEJUVENILEJUSTICESYSTEMISALSOUSEDONVERYYOUNGCHILDREN&OREXAMPLEDATA
COLLECTEDIN!MITE#OUNTY3CHOOL$ISTRICTSHOWTHATOFSTUDENTSREFERREDTOJUVENILEJUSTICEANDORLAWENFORCEMENTIN
THEANDSCHOOLYEARSWEREOFSTUDENTSINTHEthGRADEORYOUNGERANDINCLUDEDSEVERAL
STUDENTSINTHEnd and 3rd grades.48
33.5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Mc
Comb
Jackson
Public
N
atchez
Adams
Hatt
iesburg
Public
Rankin
#OUNTY
4upelo
Public
'REEnville
P
ublic
VicKSBURG
W
arren
'REE
NWood
Public
$ESOTO
#OUNTY
Referrals to Juvenile Detention Centers per 1000 Students
39
3OURCE-ISSISSIPPI$EPArtment of Education
3#(//,$)342)#4S
2%&%22!,30%2345$%.4S
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
10/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
s While Mississippi school districts do not make
COMPREHENSIVESCHOOLBASEDARRESTDATAPUBLICLYAVAILABLE
ACCORDINGTODATACOLLECTEDBYTHE-ERIDIAN0OLICE
$EPARTMENTTHEREWEREARRESTSONSCHOOLGROUNDSFOR
EVERYSTUDENTSIN-ERIDIAN-ISSISSIPPIINTHE
SCHOOLYEAR
s )NONEOF-ISSISSIPPISLARGESTSCHOOLDISTRICTS*ACKSON0UBLIC
Schools, according to data collected from the Jackson
0OLICE$EPARTMENTONLYOFTHEMISCONDUCTTHATLEDTO
ARRESTONSCHOOLGROUNDSDURINGTHESCHOOLYEAR
WASFORBEHAVIORTHATACTUALLYPOSEDASERIOUSTHREATTO
students, staff, and the school, such as aggravated assault.
)NFACTTHEMOSTPREVALENTREASONACCOUNTINGFORONETHIRD
OFARRESTSONSCHOOLGROUNDSWASTHEHIGHLYSUBJECTIVEAND
VAGUEOFFENSEOFhDISORDERLYCONDUCTv
s 4HEEFFECTOFARRESTONYOUTHGOESFARBEYONDTHE
RAMIlCATIONSOFHAVINGAPOLICERECORD!CCORDINGTO
RESEARCHAlRSTTIMEARRESTDOUBLESTHEODDSTHATASTUDENTWILLDROPOUTOFSCHOOLANDAlRSTTIMECOURTAPPEARANCE
QUADRUPLESTHEODDS!SFORTHEEFFECTSOFINCARCERATIONASONESTUDYFOUNDINCARCERATEDYOUTHAREMORELIKELYTO
ATTEMPTSUICIDETHANTHEIRNONINCARCERATEDPEERSANDTHECOMPLETEDSUICIDERATEISFOURTIMESTHECOMPLETEDSUICIDE
RATEOFYOUTHOVERALL53%VENAFTERRELEASEANESTIMATEDONElFTHTOTHREElFTHSOFYOUNGPEOPLEWHOHAVEEXPERIENCED
INCARCERATIONWILLATTEMPTSUICIDEATSOMETIMEINTHEIRLIFE544HEFACTTHATTHEACADEMICANDPSYCHOLOGICALIMPACTOF
ARRESTANDINCARCERATIONONYOUTHISDEEPLYHARMFULANDFARREACHINGWASFURTHERHIGHLIGHTEDININTERVIEWSWITHMULTIPLE
-ISSISSIPPISTUDENTSANDFAMILIES&OREXAMPLE
/NE MOTHER DESCRIBED HOW AFTER HERCHILD WASSENT TO A *UVENILE $ETENTION #ENTERFOR A CLASSROOM DISRUPTION
HEWOULDCRYANDBEGHISMOTHERNOTTOSENDHIMBACKTOSCHOOLBECAUSEHENOLONGERFELTSAFETHERE55
!NOTHERSTUDENTFROM*ONES#OUNTYDESCRIBEDHOWAFTERBEINGARRESTEDFORAMINORlGHTINTHELUNCH
ROOMSHESUFFEREDANXIETYINDUCEDASTHMAATTACKSDURINGSUBSEQUENTINTERACTIONSWITHSCHOOLADMINISTRATION56
2) Black students are hit the hardest by harsh
discipline practices.
s "LACKSTUDENTSAREDISPROPORTIONATELYAFFECTED
BYHARSHDISCIPLINEPOLICIESANDPRACTICESIN
-ISSISSIPPI!CCORDINGTODATAGATHEREDON
-ISSISSIPPISCHOOLDISTRICTSBYTHE53$EPARTMENT
OF%DUCATIONS/FlCEFOR#IVIL2IGHTS/#2INITS#IVIL
2IGHTS$ATA#OLLECTIONFORTHESCHOOL
YEAR"LACKSTUDENTSWHOMADEUPHALFTHESTUDENT
population in these districts, received almost
OFTHEOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONSINTHESE
DISTRICTSMAKINGTHEMOVERTHREETIMESMORELIKELY
THAN7HITESTUDENTSTORECEIVEANOUTOFSCHOOL
suspension.57
&ELONY Misdemeanor
Arrests on School GroundsFelonies v. Misdemeanors
in Jackson, MS393OURCE#ITYOF Jackson
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
11/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
s )NSOMESCHOOLDISTRICTSTHEREWASANEVENGREATERDISPARITY)N,AWRENCE#OUNTYFOREXAMPLE"LACKSTUDENTSWEREEIGHT
TIMESMORELIKELYTORECEIVEANOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONTHAN7HITESTUDENTS58
s 2ACIALDISPARITIESINSCHOOLDISCIPLINEAREASTATEWIDEPROBLEMTRANSCENDINGLOCATIONANDSCHOOLDEMOGRAPHICS"LACK
STUDENTSARESUSPENDEDOUTOFSCHOOLATHIGHRATESINBOTHMAJORITY"LACKANDMAJORITY7HITESCHOOLSANDINURBANAND
suburban districts across the State.4HEGRAPHBELOWSHOWSTHAT"LACKSTUDENTSARESUSPENDEDOUTOFSCHOOL
ATMUCHHIGHERRATESTHANTHEIR7HITEPEERSINMAJORITY7HITESCHOOLDISTRICTSACROSS-ISSISSIPPI
s "LACKSTUDENTSAREOFTENTREATEDDIFFERENTLYTHAN7HITESTUDENTSWHOEXHIBITSIMILARBEHAVIOR.ATIONALRESEARCHON
student behavior has found that racial disparities in school discipline are not the result of Black students acting out
MORERATHERTHEDIFFERENCESLIEINHOWADULTSINTHESCHOOLBUILDINGRESPONDTOSTUDENTBEHAVIOR"ROADDISCRETIONARY
OFFENSECATEGORIESLIKEhDISORDERLYCONDUCTvhDISRESPECTOFAUTHORITYvORhDISOBEDIENCEvAREMAINLYINTHEEYEOFTHE
BEHOLDERLEAVINGSIGNIlCANTROOMFORIMPLICITANDEXPLICITRACIALBIASESTOCREEPINTOTHEDISCIPLINEPROCESSANDEXACERBATE
disparities.4HISFACTWASALSOHIGHLIGHTEDDURINGINTERVIEWSWITHMULTIPLE-ISSISSIPPISTUDENTSABOUTTHEIRSCHOOLS&OR
EXAMPLE
)NANINTERVIEWTHEMOTHEROFA"LACKMIDDLESCHOOLSTUDENTIN*ONES#OUNTYDETAILEDHOWHERSONWASARRESTEDAND
CHARGEDWITHASSAULTWHENHEGOTINASCHOOLYARDSCUFmEWITHA7HITESTUDENTWHOHADUSEDRACIALEPITHETSTOREFER
TOHIS"LACKPEERS!CCORDINGTOTHEMOTHERTHE7HITESTUDENTWASNOTDISCIPLINEDFORHISACTIONS
!"LACKthGRADERIN*ONES#OUNTY-3RECOUNTEDTHESTORYOFA"LACKCLASSMATEWHOWASEXPELLEDFORUSING
MARIJUANAANDCHEWINGTOBACCOINTHEBATHROOM!CCORDINGTOTHESTUDENTA7HITESTUDENTCAUGHTFORTHESAMEOFFENSEWASONLYSUSPENDEDFORAFEWDAYS
4HEthGRADERWENTONTOEXPLAINThe White kids dont get handcuffed. If a White kid gets into an altercation it depends on who they are and how
they act . . . . They wont go to jail. They will just get suspended for three to five days and come back to school. . . . . I was handcuffed and arrested for getting into a
fight at school. They took us straight from school to the detention center where we were stripped of our clothes, forced to shower in front of others, and required to
take a drug test. We had to spend the night there. I had never been in trouble in school before. 62
46
34
8 88
5 53
65
4 4
NorthPike
Harrison
#OUNTY
'RENAD
A
Neshob
a
#OUNTY
Smith
#OUNT
Y
Forres
t
#OUNT
Y
.EW
!LBAN
Y
Madiso
n
#OUNTY
Rankin
#OUNT
Y
Bilox
i
Public
$E3OT
O
#OUNT
Y
Jones
#OUNT
Y
Black Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) Rates per 100 Students v.
White Out-of School Suspension (OSS) Rates per 100 Students
in Select Majority White School Districts
393OURCE53$Epartment of Education
Black Students
White Students
3#(//,$)342)#4S
/332!4%0%2345$%.4S
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
12/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
s 'IVENTHISITISNOSURPRISETHATNOTONLYARE"LACKSTUDENTSSUSPENDEDEXPELLEDANDARRESTEDATSCHOOLATRATESHIGHER
THANTHEIR7HITEPEERSBUTTOOOFTENTHESEPUNISHMENTSAREFORBEHAVIORTHATDOESNOTMERITTHESEVERITYOFTHE
DISCIPLINARYRESPONSE4HESTORIESTHATILLUSTRATETHISHIGHLIGHTEDINTHEINTRODUCTIONTOTHISREPORTAREHEARTBREAKING)N
(OLMES#OUNTYAlVEYEAROLD"LACKCHILDWASESCORTEDHOMEINASHERIFFCARFORTHEDRESSCODEVIOLATIONOFWEARINGSHOES
WITHSOMEREDANDWHITESYMBOLSONTHEMWHERETHEDRESSCODEREQUIREDSOLIDBLACKSHOES63)N3OUTHAVENINRESPONSE
TOANARGUMENTBETWEENTHREESTUDENTSONASCHOOLBUSPOLICEOFlCERSREPORTEDLYARRESTEDAHALFDOZEN"LACKSTUDENTS
choked and tackled a Black female student, and threatened to shoot the other students on the bus.64
3) Mississippi schools suspend a high volume of students out of school every year.
s )NTHESCHOOLDISTRICTSCOVEREDIN/#2SDATACOLLECTIONTHEREWEREOVEROUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONSREPORTEDFOR
THESCHOOLYEAR)NTHATSCHOOLYEAR-ISSISSIPPISUSPENDEDSTUDENTSOUTOFSCHOOLATARATEOFALMOSTSIXOUTOF
EVERYSTUDENTSARATEHIGHERTHANMOSTNEIGHBORINGSTATESANDHIGHERTHANTHENATIONALAVERAGE65
s &URTHERMORETHOSESCHOOLDISTRICTSIN-ISSISSIPPITHATHAVETHEHIGHESTOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONRATESFARSURPASSthe national average.66!STHEGRAPHBELOWSHOWSTHESIX-ISSISSIPPISCHOOLDISTRICTSWITHTHEHIGHESTOUTOFSCHOOL
suspension rates have rates that are more than nine times higher than the national average.67%AST*ASPER3CHOOL$ISTRICTS
OUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONRATETHEHIGHESTINTHESTATEISMORETHANSEVENTEENTIMESHIGHERTHANTHENATIONALAVERAGE
4.6
4.4 3.7
345
67
Miss
issip
pi
Louisia
na
Alab
ama
'EOR
GIA
Arka
nsas
4exa
s
Natio
nal
Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) per 100 StudentsMississippi v. Neighboring States393OURCEU.S.$Epartment of Education
/332!4%0%2345$%
.4S
Averag
e
63.4
37.6 37.5
3.7
East Jasper 4unica
#OUNTYMoss Point Meridian
Public
Noxubee
#OUNTYMcComb National
Average
39
3OURCE53$Epartment of Education
Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) per 100 Students
in Mississippi Counties with Highest Rates v. National Average
/332!4%0%2345
$%.4S
3#(//,$)342)#4S
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
13/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
II.HarshDisciplineUnderminestheWorkofEducatorsandtheStateEducationSystem
/VERTHELASTTENYEARS-ISSISSIPPIHASIMPLEMENTEDNUMEROUSSCHOOLREFORMSTRATEGIESINCLUDINGTONAMEAFEW-ISSISSIPPIS
AND%DUCATION2EFORM!CTSTHE-3$ROPOUT0REVENTION0LANAIMEDATMONITORINGDROPOUTNUMBERSTHEh/N4HE
"USv#AMPAIGNAPRIVATELYFUNDEDMILLIONPUBLICAWARENESSDROPOUTPREVENTIONCAMPAIGNANDTHE#HILDREN&IRST!CT
WHICHAUTHORIZEDPLACINGUNDERPERFORMINGSCHOOLDISTRICTSINCONSERVATORSHIP68 Yet for all these efforts, the state graduation rate,
ACCORDINGTO%DUCATION7EEKISONLYWHICHISTHE thLOWESTAMONGTHESTATES For Black students, the graduation rate is
and Mississippi has the 4thLOWESTGRADUATIONRATEFOR7HITESTUDENTSANDTHEthLOWESTGRADUATIONRATEFOR,ATINOSTUDENTS
INTHECOUNTRY4HEREASONS-ISSISSIPPISCHOOLSHAVEFAILEDTOACHIEVEGREATERACADEMICSUCCESSAREMANY"UTASDISCUSSEDBELOW
THEOVERUSEOFHARSHSCHOOLDISCIPLINARYPRACTICESARELIKELYUNDERMININGEDUCATIONREFORMEFFORTSANDNOTHELPINGTHEWORKOF
EDUCATORSANDTHESTATEEDUCATIONSYSTEM
7HILESCHOOLDISTRICTSOFTENATTEMPTTOJUSTIFYTHEIRHARMFULANDEXTREMEDISCIPLINARYPRACTICESASNECESSARYFORTHEPURPOSESOF
REMOVINGTHEhBADvSTUDENTSSOTHATTHERESTOFTHESTUDENTSMAYLEARNNATIONALEVIDENCEINDICATESTHECONTRARYSCHOOLSWITH
EXCLUSIONARYDISCIPLINEPRACTICESHAVELOWERACADEMICOUTCOMES)NDEEDASTHEGRAPHBELOWSHOWSTHEREISNEGATIVERELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN-ISSISSIPPISCHOOLDISTRICTSOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONRATESANDTHEIR1UALITY$ISTRIBUTION)NDEXANACCOUNTABILITYMETRIC
THATTHE-ISSISSIPPI$EPARTMENTOF%DUCATIONCOMPUTESANNUALLYFOREACHSCHOOLDISTRICTBASEDONTESTSCORESANDSTUDENT
PROlCIENCYDATA
4HISISCORROBORATEDBYEXTENSIVENATIONALRESEARCHWHICHHASFOUNDTHATSCHOOLSWITHHIGHRATESOFSUSPENSIONANDEXPULSIONALSO
TENDTOHAVELOWERTESTSCORESANDLOWERGRADUATIONRATES73ANDTHATHARSHDISCIPLINARYPRACTICESARELINKEDWITHPOORSCHOOLWIDE
academic achievement.74
9ETTHEREARENOSTATEWIDEPRESCRIBEDSTANDARDSFORSCHOOLDISCIPLINETHATENSURETHATTHECODESOFSTUDENTCONDUCTIN-ISSISSIPPIS
SCHOOLDISTRICTSMEETBASICSTANDARDSOFFAIRNESSANDAREALIGNEDWITHEDUCATIONALGOALS4HELACKOFSTANDARDSALLOWSSCHOOLSTOUSE
HARSHANDEXTREMEPUNISHMENTSFORMINORINFRACTIONSCONSEQUENTLYDEPRIVINGSTUDENTSOFCLASSROOMTIME&OREXAMPLEIN%AST
*ASPER3CHOOL$ISTRICTTHEMIDDLESCHOOLDISCIPLINEPOLICIESSTATETHATAWIDERANGEOFRELATIVELYMINORORSUBJECTIVEBEHAVIORS
SUCHAShREFUSALTOGIVENAMEUPONREQUESTvhREFUSALTOCOMPLYWITHGROOMINGRULESvANDhOTHERMISBEHAVIORASDETERMINEDBYTHE
ADMINISTRATIONvCANRESULTINOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONFORAlRSTOFFENSEANDLEADTOSCHOOLEXPULSIONAFTERATHIRDOFFENSE75
Mississippi School Districts Percentage of
Out-of-School Suspensions (OSS) v. Quality Distribution Index (QDI)
39SourceUS and MISSISSIPPI$EPARtments of Education
-33CHOOL$ISTRICTS
1
$)
0%2#%.4/&345$%.432%#%)6).'/3S
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
14/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
4HESEEXTREMEPOLICIESHAVESERIOUSCONSEQUENCESNOTONLYFORTHEEDUCATIONALOPPORTUNITIESOFSTUDENTSWITHINTHOSEDISTRICTS
BUTALSOFORTHEENTIRESTATEEDUCATIONALSYSTEMASTHEYEFFECTIVELYACTLIKEAGIANTBRAKEONSTATEWIDESCHOOLIMPROVEMENTEFFORTS
4HEREARENOSUCCESSFULSCHOOLSTHATSUSPENDEXPELANDREFERLARGENUMBERSOFSTUDENTSTOLAWENFORCEMENT4HUSTHEMANYSCHOOLS
THROUGHOUT-ISSISSIPPITHATAREOVERUSINGZEROTOLERANCEANDhGETTOUGHvSTRATEGIESAREWORKINGATCROSSPURPOSESWITHTHEBROADER
STATEINTERESTINPROMOTINGTEACHINGANDLEARNINGINHEALTHYANDPRODUCTIVEWAYS
(ARSHANDEXTREMEAPPROACHESTODISCIPLINEAFFECTSCHOOLSINAVARIETYOFWAYSTHATBOTHINHIBITSCHOOLPROGRESSANDCREATESIGNIlCANT
DIFlCULTIESFOREDUCATORS&OREXAMPLEONEOFTHEMOSTIMPORTANTFACTORSINVOLVEDINIMPROVINGSTUDENTACHIEVEMENTISMAXIMIZING
time engaged in academic learning.76(OWEVEROUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONSEXPULSIONSANDARRESTSRESULTINMASSIVEAMOUNTSOFLOSTLEARNINGTIMEHUNDREDSOFTHOUSANDSOFINSTRUCTIONALHOURSEVERYYEARIN-ISSISSIPPI 77/BVIOUSLYSTUDENTSWHOARENOTINCLASSARE
NOTDOINGMUCHLEARNING4HUSSTUDENTSSUBJECTEDTOHARSHDISCIPLINARYMEASURESTENDTOFALLBEHINDACADEMICALLY78
)TISALSOIMPORTANTTORECOGNIZETHEEFFECTSTHATSTUDENTEXCLUSIONCANHAVEONTHELEARNINGENVIRONMENTEVENWHENTHESTUDENT
ISALLOWEDTORETURN&IRSTBECAUSETHEZEROTOLERANCEAPPROACHISINEFFECTIVEATTEACHINGAPPROPRIATEBEHAVIORSORADDRESSINGROOT
CAUSESOFDISCIPLINARYPROBLEMSTHEMISBEHAVIORSTHATLEDTOTHEPUNISHMENTARELIKELYTOBEREPEATED!DDITIONALLYBECAUSE
STUDENTSOFTENFALLBEHINDINCLASSTHEIRTEACHERSFREQUENTLYMUSTDEVOTETIMETOCATCHINGTHEMUPWITHTHERESTOFTHECLASSTAKING
TIMEAWAYFROMOTHERSTUDENTSANDTHUSHURTINGOVERALLACADEMICPERFORMANCE!NDIFSTUDENTSDONOTCATCHUPTHEYOFTEN
BECOMEFRUSTRATEDOREMBARRASSEDTHATTHEYARENOTONLEVELWITHTHEIRPEERSANDTHUSDISRUPTCLASSEVENMORE
!DDITIONALLYTHESEHARSHDISCIPLINARYCONSEQUENCESFREQUENTLYTRIGGERACYCLEOFDISENGAGEMENTFROMSCHOOLSANDESCALATING
rule breaking.3TUDENTSOFTENBECOMELESSTRUSTINGANDMORERESENTFULOFTHEIRTEACHERSLOSINGTHEhCONNECTEDNESSvTHATISSUCHa critical part of academic success.834HISISOBVIOUSLYDEEPLYCONCERNINGASITRELATESTOTHEINDIVIDUALSTUDENTSBUTITALSOPOSES
SERIOUSCHALLENGESFORTHESTUDENTSTEACHERSBECAUSETHESEYOUTHBECOMEMUCHMORECHALLENGINGTOTEACH(AVINGINCREASINGLY
ALIENATEDSTUDENTSWITHINASCHOOLALSOLEADSTOADETERIORATIONOFSCHOOLCULTUREMAKINGITEXTREMELYDIFlCULTIFNOTIMPOSSIBLEFOR
EDUCATORSTOCREATETHETYPEOFHEALTHYANDPRODUCTIVELEARNINGENVIRONMENTTHATALLOWSTHEMTOBEEFFECTIVEINTHEIRJOBS84
3IMPLYPUTTHESTUDENTSWHOAREDROPPINGOUTANDACHIEVINGACADEMICALLYATLEVELSFARLOWERTHANTHEIRPEERSAREUSUALLYTHE
STUDENTSWHOAREBEINGSUSPENDEDEXPELLEDANDARRESTEDINSCHOOL85:EROTOLERANCEPOLICIESTENDTOEXACERBATEWHATEVER
CHALLENGESTHOSESTUDENTSAREFACINGMAKINGITMORELIKELYTHATTHEAFFECTEDSTUDENTSWILLFALLBEHINDACADEMICALLYORLEAVE
school.867HILEMANYEDUCATORSAREACTIVELYWORKINGTOACHIEVEGREATEREQUITYANDJUSTICEWITHINTHEEDUCATIONALSYSTEMANDTO
HELPSTUDENTSACHIEVEACADEMICSUCCESSHARSHSCHOOLDISCIPLINEPRACTICESAREEFFECTIVELYCUTTINGTHESEEFFORTSOFFATTHEKNEES
&URTHERMORETHEHARMFULEFFECTOFHARSHSCHOOLDISCIPLINARYPOLICIESONTHE-ISSISSIPPIEDUCATIONSYSTEMLIKEMANYOTHERSCHOOLSYSTEMSNATIONWIDEISOFTENEXACERBATEDINSCHOOLSWITHAPOLICEANDORSECURITYPRESENCEANDWHERESTUDENTSAREREGULARLY
ARRESTEDORREFERREDTOTHEJUVENILEJUSTICESYSTEM4HERESPONSETOSAFETYCONCERNSISOFTENTOADDMOREPOLICESECURITYGUARDS
metal detectors, and surveillance cameras to school.87"UTWHILEMANYSCHOOLRESOURCEOFlCERSANDSECURITYGUARDSDOEXCELLENT
WORKTHEUNFORTUNATEREALITYISTHATTHESECURITYPRESENCEOFTENCONTRIBUTESTOANEGATIVESCHOOLCULTURE884HELOOKANDFEELOF
MANYSCHOOLSCHANGESDRAMATICALLYWITHTHEADDITIONOFSECURITYBECOMINGLESSWELCOMINGANDMORETHREATENINGTOSTUDENTS
!SARESULTOFTHEOVERRELIANCEONPOLICEOFlCERSTOHANDLEROUTINEDISCIPLINARYMATTERSSTUDENTSTHROUGHOUTTHE3TATEAREREGULARLY
HAVINGNEGATIVEORTRAUMATICENCOUNTERSWITHTHEPOLICEWITHINSCHOOLS4HESEDYNAMICSPREVENTSCHOOLSFROMBEINGASAFEHAVEN
FORMANYYOUNGPEOPLELEADINGTODEEPENINGSTUDENTRESENTMENTANDFURTHERDETERIORATIONOFSCHOOLCLIMATE)NDEEDONEOFTHE
UNFORTUNATEANDIRONICCONSEQUENCESOFTHEZEROTOLERANCEDISCIPLINARYMETHODISTHATITCANEVENPROVOKEADDITIONALDISRUPTIVE
behavior, rather than prevent it.2ISKINGTHESEHARMSMAYBEJUSTIlEDWHENSTUDENTBEHAVIORPOSESASERIOUSTHREATTOTHE
SAFETYOFOTHERS(OWEVER-ISSISSIPPISCHOOLSAREUSINGHARSHDISCIPLINARYMEASURESFORLOWLEVELBEHAVIORS4HUSMANYSCHOOLS
THROUGHOUT-ISSISSIPPIAREUNNECESSARILYCAUSINGSIGNIlCANTHARMTOTHEOVERALLEDUCATIONSYSTEM
/FCOURSETHECOROLLARYISTHATTHEREARESUBSTANTIALACADEMICGAINSTOBEMADEBYELIMINATINGTHESEUNNECESSARILYHARSHMEASURES
3CHOOLDISTRICTSOUTSIDETHE3TATEAREEXPERIENCINGGREATSUCCESSBYREJECTINGTHEZEROTOLERANCEAPPROACH3AFERANDMORE
EFFECTIVESCHOOLSAREBEINGCREATEDBYUSINGCOMMONSENSEDISCIPLINARYAPPROACHESTHATMAXIMIZECLASSTIMEANDLIMITTHEROLE
OFLAWENFORCEMENTINSCHOOLSTOADDRESSINGTRULYSERIOUSBEHAVIORS!NDTHESECOMMUNITIESAREREAPINGTHEREWARDSINTERMSOF
improved attendance rates, academic achievement levels, and graduation rates.!LLOFTHESETHINGSMAKEEDUCATORSJOBSEASIERAS
WELL
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
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%XAMPLESOFSUCHSUCCESSCANBEFOUNDINPLACESLIKE$ENVER#OLORADOAND"ALTIMORE-ARYLAND)NTHESEDISTRICTSBEHAVIORSTHAT
MANYSCHOOLSWOULDHAVERESPONDEDTOWITHHARSHPUNISHMENTARENOWMORELIKELYTOLEADTOSCHOOLPERSONNELATTEMPTINGTO
ADDRESSTHEROOTCAUSESOFTHEINCIDENTWHILETEACHINGTHESTUDENTMOREAPPROPRIATEBEHAVIORS As a result, school suspension
IN$ENVERHASDECREASEDFROMARATEOFSUSPENSIONSFOREVERYSTUDENTSINTHEDISTRICTINTOABOUTFOREVERY
STUDENTSIN%XPULSIONSAREALSODOWNBY)N"ALTIMORESCHOOLSUSPENSIONSDROPPEDFROMINTHE
SCHOOLYEARTOBELOWIN
!TTHESAMETIMETHESEREFORMSHAVECONTRIBUTEDTOACADEMICGAINSWITHBOTHDISTRICTSEXPERIENCINGSIGNIlCANTIMPROVEMENTS
INTHEIRGRADUATIONRATES"ALTIMORE#ITYSGRADUATIONRATEINCREASEDFROMINTHESCHOOLYEARPRIORTODISCIPLINEREFORMEFFORTSTOINTHESCHOOLYEARANINCREASE3IMILARSTRIDESOCCURREDIN$ENVERWHERETHE
SUPERINTENDENTSOFlCEHASLAUDEDDISCIPLINEREFORMASAMAJORREASONFORINCREASEDACHIEVEMENT Because these districts
RECOGNIZEDTHATOVERUSINGHARSHDISCIPLINEISALOSINGSTRATEGYTHEYHAVEREAPEDTHEREWARDS)TISTIMEFOR-ISSISSIPPITODO
the same.
Thedownwardspiralofharshschooldiscipline
EFFECTS ON EDUCATORS EFFECTS ON
LAW ENFORCEMENTStudent misses class time, fallsbehind, becomes frustrated or
embarrassed, and becomes
more disruptive.
4eacher has to take time to catch
student up, takiNGTIMEAWAY from
other students and hurting overall
academic performance.
StudentS actual problem not
addressed, and alternative behaviors
not taught, makiNGITLIKELYmisbehavIORWILLBEREPEATED.
Student becomes less connected to
school, less trusting and more
resentful of teachers,MORELIKELYTO
engage in riskYANDUNLAWFUL
behaviors, and harder to teach.
)NCREASINGLYALIENATEDSTUDENT
contributes to overall deterioration
of learning environment.
3TUDENTRESENTMENTOFWHATIS
experienced as oppressive condi
tions makes it more difficult to
create productive and healthY
learning environments.
CuLTUREOFVIOLENCEANDHOSTILITY
created in school, making
teachers less safe.
Student left at home or in the street,
often unsupervised, making
criminal acTIVITYMORELIKELY.
Student more liKELYto drop out
of school, making criminal
acTIVITYMORELIKELY.
3TUDENTWHOENTERSTHEJUSTICE
SYSTEMMAYBECOMEMORE
DANGEROUSANDMORELIKELYTO
commit future crimes.
Student resents excessive
involvement of police, becomes
distrustful and evENHOSTILETOWARD
LAWENforcement generallY,AW
enforcement is less effective,
compromising safeTY.
Being forced to spend time on
MINORORTRIVIALMATTERSTAKESLAW
enfoRCEMENTPERSONNELAWAYFROM
more serious criminal behavior,
compromising public safeTY.
Unnecessary
Pushout of Students
Using HarshDisciplinary Practices
Unnecessary
Criminalization of
Students Through
Arrests, Referrals,
and Overall
Police/Security
Presence in Schools
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
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III.MisguidedDisciplinaryMeasuresHarmLawEnforcementEffortsandOverallPublicHealthandSafety
4HEZEROTOLERANCEAPPROACHHASALSOCAUSEDSIGNIlCANTDETRIMENTALEFFECTSTO-ISSISSIPPISLAWENFORCEMENTPERSONNELBECAUSE
ITHASUNDERMINEDRATHERTHANIMPROVEDPUBLICSAFETY4HEGOALOFTHELAWENFORCEMENTCOMMUNITYISTOPROTECTTHEPUBLICBY
ENFORCINGLAWSANDPREVENTINGCRIME(ARSHDISCIPLINARYAPPROACHESAREATODDSWITHTHISGOALASTHEYPUTYOUNGPEOPLEATHOME
WITHOUTADULTSUPERVISIONINCREASETHELIKELIHOODTHATTHEYWILLENGAGEINFUTUREMISBEHAVIORINCREASETHELIKELIHOODTHATTHEYWIL
DROPOUTOFSCHOOLANDINCREASETHERISKTHATTHEYWILLBEFUNNELEDINTOTHEJUSTICESYSTEM For example, the strongest predictor
OFLATERARRESTAMONGADOLESCENTFEMALESISSUSPENSIONEXPULSIONORBEINGHELDBACKDURINGTHEIRMIDDLESCHOOLYEARS4HUS
HARSHDISCIPLINARYPRACTICESMAKEITMOREDIFlCULTFORLAWENFORCEMENTOFlCIALSTOPREVENTCRIMEANDPROMOTEPUBLICSAFETY
-OREOVEREVERYYEARTHEREARETENSOFTHOUSANDSOFSTUDENTSALLOVER-ISSISSIPPIWHOEITHERDIRECTLYORINDIRECTLYHAVENEGATIVE
ANDORTRAUMATICEXPERIENCESWITHPOLICEOFlCERSOROTHERLAWENFORCEMENTPERSONNELINSCHOOLSORBECAUSEOFSCHOOLRELATED
behaviors.4HISPOSESAPROBLEMFORLAWENFORCEMENTOFlCERSACROSS-ISSISSIPPI4HESENEGATIVEORTRAUMATICEXPERIENCESBREED
WIDESPREADRESENTMENTANDDISTRUSTAMONGYOUTHDIRECTEDATTHEVERYPEOPLECHARGEDWITHKEEPINGTHEMSAFE9OUNGPEOPLE
RESENTBEINGTREATEDASTHREATSTHEYLOSEFAITHINTHEGOODWILLOFPOLICEWHENTHEYBELIEVETHEYAREBEINGTREATEDUNFAIRLYANDTHEY
FREQUENTLYBECOMEANTAGONISTICTOWARDLAWENFORCEMENTINRESPONSE
4HISFURTHEREXACERBATESANYDISCONNECTORRESENTMENTTHATMAYALREADYEXISTBETWEENCOMMUNITIESANDPOLICEGIVENTHE
HISTORICALLYNEGATIVERELATIONSHIPSTHATOFTENEXISTBETWEENLAWENFORCEMENTANDCOMMUNITIESOFCOLOR7HENOFlCERSONTHE
STREETENCOUNTERSOMEONEWHOHASANEGATIVEASSOCIATIONWITHTHEMITBECOMESMORELIKELYTHATAVIOLENTINCIDENTWILLOCCUROR
THATASITUATIONWILLESCALATE4HUSINAPPROPRIATEUSESOFHARSHDISCIPLINARYMEASURESNOTONLYFRUSTRATETHEEFFORTSOFMANYHIGH
QUALITYLAWENFORCEMENTOFlCIALSBECAUSEITWEAKENSTHEIRRELATIONSHIPSWITHTHECOMMUNITIESTHEYSERVEACRITICALELEMENTOFTHEI
success.)TMAYALSOCOMPROMISETHEIRSAFETYASWELLASTHESAFETYOFTHEBROADERCOMMUNITY
!NOTHERDAMAGINGEFFECTOFTHESEPRACTICESISTHATINSTEADOFHAVINGLAWENFORCEMENTPERSONNELDEVOTINGTHEIRENERGIESTOWHAT
THEYWERETRAINEDTODOWHICHISTOADDRESSSERIOUSCRIMINALBEHAVIORSTHATERODEPUBLICSAFETYANDPUBLICHEALTHTHEYAREFORCED
to spend valuable time on minor or even trivial offenses.
/NCEAGAINTHISCOMPROMISESPUBLICSAFETYBECAUSETIMETHATCOULDBESPENTADDRESSINGTHECOMPLEXCHALLENGESASSOCIATEDWITHSERIOUSCRIMINALSISINSTEADSPENTONSERVINGASSCHOOLDISCIPLINARIANS
/NTHEOTHERHANDALTERNATIVEAPPROACHESCANIMPROVETHERELATIONSHIPBETWEENCOMMUNITIESANDPOLICEKEEPMOREYOUNG
PEOPLEINSCHOOLANDOFFTHESTREETSANDMAKEOURCOMMUNITIESHEALTHIER!SASTRATEGYTOREDUCECRIMEANDVIOLENCE&IGHT
#RIME)NVESTIN+IDSANATIONALORGANIZATIONOFMORETHANPOLICECHIEFSSHERIFFSPROSECUTORSATTORNEYSGENERALOTHERLAW
ENFORCEMENTLEADERSANDVICTIMSOFVIOLENCEHASADVOCATEDFORREDUCTIONSINTHEUSEOFSCHOOLDISCIPLINARYMEASURESTHATPUSH
students out of school.4HESELAWENFORCEMENTOFlCIALSHAVERECOGNIZEDTHATSCHOOLDISCIPLINARYAPPROACHESTHATMAKESTUDENTS
LESSLIKELYTOGRADUATEHIGHSCHOOLANDMORELIKELYTOWINDUPINCARCERATEDAREASERIOUSTHREATTOOVERALLPUBLICHEALTHANDSAFETY
ANDMUSTBEREPLACEDWITHTHESUPERIORALTERNATIVESAVAILABLE
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
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IV.HarshDisciplineWeakensMississippisEconomyandisCostlytoTaxpayers
)NTHELASTFEWDECADESASINCARCERATIONRATESHAVESPIKEDSOTOOHASTHECOSTTOTAXPAYERS&ROMTO-ISSISSIPPISPENAL
SYSTEMEXPANDEDBYANDTHE3TATESCORRECTIONCOSTSHAVEINCREASEDBYWELLOVERMILLIONAYEARINTHELASTDECADE
Yet, state funding for public education decreasedIN&ISCAL9EARFORTHEFOURTHYEARINAROWEVENWHILETHEOVERALLSTATEBUDGET
increased. Mississippi also ranks 45thLOWESTINTHENATIONINPERPUPILSPENDINGANDnd highest for percentage of school revenue
PROVIDEDBYTHEFEDERALGOVERNMENT4HUSINlSCALTERMSTHE3TATEISPRIORITIZINGINCARCERATIONOVEREDUCATION
4HEUSEOFHARSHANDEXTREMESCHOOLDISCIPLINEPOLICIESWHICHCAUSESMOREYOUNGPEOPLETOBEPLACEDINTOTHEJUVENILEAND
CRIMINALJUSTICESYSTEMSLEADSTOINCREASEDSPENDINGONINCARCERATION4HESELOCALGOVERNMENTDECISIONSAREECONOMICALLY
UNSUSTAINABLEANDTHEYHAVEHADANDWILLCONTINUETOHAVEHUGElSCALIMPLICATIONSFORTHEENTIRE3TATE&OREXAMPLECONSIDERTHE
MANYCOSTLYCOMPONENTSOFTHEhGETTOUGHvDISCIPLINARYAPPROACH
s 3ECURITYGUARDSANDSCHOOLPOLICEOFlCERSSALARIESANDBENElTSFORSCHOOLBASEDSECURITYPERSONNEL
s -ETALDETECTORSSURVEILLANCECAMERASANDOTHERSECURITYEQUIPMENTPURCHASINGANDUSINGEXPENSIVEEQUIPMENT
s 3CHOOLADMINISTRATIVECOSTSTIMESPENTBYSCHOOLSTAFFONINVESTIGATIONSHEARINGSPROCESSINGSTUDENTSANDIMPLEMENTING
SUSPENSIONSEXPULSIONSANDOTHERHARSHDISCIPLINARYMEASURES
s 0OLICEADMINISTRATIVECOSTSTIMESPENTBYPOLICEOFlCERSONINVESTIGATIONSPROCESSINGCITATIONSTRANSPORTINGSTUDENTSANDCHARGINGANDDETAININGSTUDENTSFORSCHOOLBASEDOFFENSES
s #OURTADMINISTRATIVECOSTSTIMESPENTBYJUVENILEANDCRIMINALCOURTSONPROCESSINGCASESARRAIGNMENTSHEARINGSAND
TRIALSFORSCHOOLBASEDOFFENSES
s $ISCIPLINARYALTERNATIVESCHOOLSCOSTSOFEDUCATINGSTUDENTSREMOVEDFROMTRADITIONALSCHOOLSFORDISCIPLINARYREASONS
s )NCARCERATIONCOSTSCOSTSOFDETAININGYOUTH
s ,OSTFEDERALEDUCATIONREVENUEDECREASEDPERPUPILREVENUERECEIVEDBYTHE3TATEANDLOCALSCHOOLDISTRICTSWHEN
DISCIPLINARYPRACTICESLEADORCONTRIBUTETOSTUDENTSNOTBEINGINSCHOOL
7HENALLTHESHORTTERMDIRECTCOSTSOFZEROTOLERANCEARECOMBINEDTHETOTALCOSTTO-ISSISSIPPISLOCALANDSTATEGOVERNMENTSIS
LIKELYTENSIFNOTHUNDREDSOFMILLIONSOFDOLLARSEVERYYEAR"UTTHECOSTSASSOCIATEDWITHZEROTOLERANCEDONOTENDTHERE"ECAUSE
THESEPRACTICESARESIGNIlCANTCONTRIBUTORSTOLOWERINGGRADUATIONRATESANDINCREASINGINCARCERATIONRATES there are substantial
LONGERTERMINDIRECTCOSTSASSOCIATEDWITHTHESECOUNTERPRODUCTIVEDISCIPLINARYPRACTICES
s ,OSTTAXREVENUEYOUTHWHODONOTGRADUATEFROMHIGHSCHOOLEARNSUBSTANTIALLYLESSOVERTHEIRLIFETIMERESULTINGINLESS
tax revenue for the government)
s (IGHERPUBLICHEALTHCOSTSALESSEDUCATEDPOPULACELEADSTOGREATEREXPENSESONPROGRAMSLIKE-EDICAIDAND
Medicare)
s (IGHERPUBLICASSISTANCECOSTSADDITIONALFOODHOUSINGANDWELFAREEXPENSESASSOCIATEDWITHHAVINGALESSEDUCATED
populace)
s (IGHERCRIMINALJUSTICECOSTSLOWEREDUCATIONLEVELSPREDICTHIGHERCRIMELEVELSWHICHLEADSTOHIGHERPUBLICEXPENDITURES
ONPOLICETHECOURTSYSTEMTHEPRISONSYSTEMETC
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
18/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
%CONOMISTSHAVEESTIMATEDTHATEACHSTUDENTWHOGRADUATESFROMHIGHSCHOOLONAVERAGEGENERATESECONOMICBENElTSTOTHE
PUBLICSECTOROFOVERHERORHISLIFETIME4HUSTHEMORETHANMEMBERSOFEVERY-ISSISSIPPIthGRADECLASSWHO
fail to graduate on time cost the State over 3 billion dollars.'IVENTHENEGATIVEIMPACTHARSHDISCIPLINARYPRACTICESHAVEON
GRADUATIONRATESITISCLEARTHATTHETENSOFTHOUSANDSOFOUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONSEXPULSIONSREFERRALSTOALTERNATIVEPROGRAMS
ANDSCHOOLBASEDARRESTSTHATOCCURINTHE3TATEEVERYYEARARECOSTINGTHE3TATEMILLIONSIFNOTBILLIONSEVERYYEAR
4HElSCALLYSOUNDAPPROACHTOSCHOOLDISCIPLINEISTOELIMINATEPOLICIESANDPRACTICESTHATAREPUSHINGYOUNGPEOPLEOUTOFSCHOOL
ANDTOWARDJAILANDTHECORRECTIONALSYSTEM)NDEEDORGANIZATIONSANDPOLICYMAKERSACROSSTHEPOLITICALSPECTRUMHAVERECOGNIZED
THENEEDFORAMORESENSIBLEANDCOSTEFFECTIVEAPPROACHTOADDRESSINGTHECHALLENGESOFOURYOUTH&OREXAMPLEEVENTHE
ORGANIZATION2IGHTON#RIMEWHOSESTATEMENTOFPRINCIPLESHASBEENSIGNEDBYSUCHSTAUNCHCONSERVATIVESAS.EWT'INGRICH
'ROVER.ORQUISTAND*EB"USHPROPOSESSHRINKINGTHEPUBLICINVESTMENTINTHEJUSTICESYSTEMBYADDRESSINGOVERCRIMINALIZATION
ANDIMPLEMENTINGGRADUATEDAPPROACHESTOSCHOOLDISCIPLINETHATSHARPLYREDUCETHEUSEOFTHEJUVENILEJUSTICESYSTEM
4HEREAREENORMOUSECONOMICGAINSTOBEREALIZEDFROMREPLACINGMISGUIDEDDISCIPLINEPOLICIESANDPRACTICESWITHALTERNATIVES
THATCANACTUALLYIMPROVEGRADUATIONRATESLEADTOLOWERINCARCERATIONRATESANDULTIMATELYCREATEAMOREEDUCATEDHEALTHY
ANDPRODUCTIVECITIZENRY%VERYDOLLARTHATISCURRENTLYBEINGSPENTONPOLICEMETALDETECTORSANDSURVEILLANCECAMERASISADOLLAR
THATCOULDBEUSEDFORTEACHERSGUIDANCECOUNSELORSANDSCHOOLPSYCHOLOGISTS4HISISANOPPORTUNITYFOR-ISSISSIPPINOTONLYTO
SAVETAXPAYERDOLLARSBUTALSOTOFREEUPADDITIONALRESOURCESTHATCOULDTHENBEALLOCATEDTOWARDTHEEXPANSIONOFEDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIESFORYOUTHAMONGOTHERPRIORITIES
)NOTHERWORDSTHROUGHBETTERUSEOFRESOURCESTHE3TATECANENSURETHATTHECURRENTDOWNWARDSPIRALINSTEADBECOMESAN
UPWARDSPIRALTOWARDEFFECTIVESCHOOLSSTRONGERCOMMUNITIESANDlSCALHEALTH-AKINGSMARTINVESTMENTSINOURYOUTHSAVESTHE
3TATEHUGESUMSOFMONEYNOWANDPOSITIONS-ISSISSIPPITOBEFARMOREPROSPEROUSINTHEFUTURE
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE SHORT TERM . . .
. . . AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE LONG TERM
Harsh School Discipline:
An Expensive Problem
for MississippiIncarceration
Costs
Police
Administration
Costs
Suspension &
Expulsion
Administrative
Costs
Security
Guards &
School Police
Officers
Metal
Detectors &
Surveillance
Cameras
Disciplinary
Alternative
Schools
Juvenile/
Criminal Court
Administration
Costs
Lost Federal
Education
Revenue
Lost Tax
RevenueHigher Public
Health Costs
Higher
Criminal
Justice Costs
Higher Public
Assistance
Costs
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
19/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
V.ConclusionandRecommendations
4HEREISNOGREATMYSTERYTOCREATINGSAFEANDEFFECTIVESCHOOLS9OUNGPEOPLENEEDTOFEELVALUEDANDCAREDFORTHEYNEEDTOBE
PROVIDEDTHEAPPROPRIATERESOURCESANDTHEYNEEDTOBEALLOWEDTOMAKETHESAMEMISTAKESTHATALLOFUSMAKEWHENWEARE
YOUNG5NFORTUNATELYTOOMANY-ISSISSIPPISCHOOLSHAVETOOOFTENFAILEDTOPROVIDESUCHLEARNINGENVIRONMENTSANDASARESULT
THE3TATEISATACROSSROADS4HESTUDENTSWHOARESUSPENDEDEXPELLEDANDARRESTEDINSCHOOLDONOTJUSTDISAPPEAR4HEYSHOW
UPINTHESTREETSINTHEUNEMPLOYMENTLINEANDINOURJAILSANDPRISONS4HEYCONTINUETOREMINDUSINVERYVISUALANDCOSTLYWAYS
THATWEHAVEFAILEDTHEMANDTHATINDOINGSOWEHAVEALSOFAILEDEDUCATORSMEMBERSOFLAWENFORCEMENTCOMMUNITIESANDTHE
entire State.
"ELOWARElVEKEYRECOMMENDATIONSFOR-ISSISSIPPISTATELEGISLATORSTHATWILLIMPROVESCHOOLQUALITYPUBLICHEALTHPUBLICSAFETY
ANDECONOMICPROSPERITYTHROUGHOUTTHE3TATETHROUGHTHEIMPLEMENTATIONOFCOMMONSENSESCHOOLDISCIPLINE
1. Guided Discretion
7ElRMLYBELIEVETHATLOCALSCHOOLSYSTEMSSHOULDHAVEBROADDISCRETIONTOIMPLEMENTDISCIPLINARYPOLICIESANDPRACTICESTHATBEST
lTTHECONDITIONSWITHINTHEIRSCHOOLS4HEREARELITERALLYDOZENSOFPOTENTIALDISCIPLINARYRESPONSESTOSTUDENTMISBEHAVIORANDITIS
NOTTHEROLEOFTHE3TATETODETERMINEWHICHOFTHOSEINTERVENTIONSAREAPPROPRIATEINPARTICULARSITUATIONS(OWEVERITISCRITICALLY
IMPORTANTTHATTHEMOSTSERIOUSDISCIPLINARYCONSEQUENCESTHOSETHATCARRYSIGNIlCANTNEGATIVEIMPACTFORINDIVIDUALSTUDENTS
FAMILIESCOMMUNITIESANDTHE3TATEOVERALLSHOULDNOTBEUSEDFORLOWLEVELSTUDENTMISCONDUCTASHASBECOMEROUTINE
throughout Mississippi.
4HEREFOREWERECOMMENDTHATSCHOOLDISTRICTSBEREQUIREDTODEVELOPPOLICIESTHATUSEAGRADUATEDAPPROACHTODISCIPLINEWITHIN
WHICHTHEYWILLRETAINSIGNIlCANTCONTROLOVERSHAPINGLOCALDISCIPLINARYSTRATEGIES%VENWITHINTHATDISCRETIONHOWEVERTHERE
SHOULDBEAFEWREQUIREMENTSBASEDONDISCIPLINARYhBESTPRACTICESv
! !RRESTSREFERRALSTOJUVENILEDETENTIONCENTERSEXPULSIONSDISCIPLINARYREFERRALSTOALTERNATIVEPROGRAMSANDLONGTERM
OUTOFSCHOOLSUSPENSIONSSHOULDBELIMITEDTOSERIOUSSCHOOLBASEDSTUDENTINFRACTIONSTHATTHREATENSCHOOLSAFETY
NAMELYOFFENSESINVOLVINGAlREARMORDEADLYWEAPONDEALINGORDELIVERINGINCONTROLLEDSUBSTANCESORANYOTHEROFFENSE
RESULTINGINSERIOUSBODILYINJURYTOANOTHER
" 3TUDENTSSHOULDNOTBEEXCLUDEDFROMSCHOOLFORMORETHANlVEDAYSINAGIVENSCHOOLYEARABSENTASHOWINGOFNECESSITY
MADEATAFORMALHEARINGGOVERNEDBYSTRONGDUEPROCESSPROTECTIONSFORSTUDENTSANDPARENTSGUARDIANS
# 4HEREVISEDPOLICIESMUSTADDRESSTHENEEDSOFVICTIMSOFVIOLENTACTSBULLYINGANDOTHERFORMSOFHARASSMENTBUTTHESE
EFFORTSSHOULDNOTCONmICTWITHANYOFTHEABOVEPROVISIONSANDTHUSSHOULDIDENTIFYALTERNATIVESTOEXTENDEDSCHOOL
EXCLUSIONANDJUSTICESYSTEMINVOLVEMENTFORADDRESSINGTHESEBEHAVIORS
2. Meaningful Accountability and Transparency
#URRENTLYNOTHINGHOLDSSCHOOLDISTRICTSORLAWENFORCEMENTAGENCIESACCOUNTABLEFORENSURINGTHATDISCIPLINARYPRACTICESARENOT
ABUSEDORIMPLEMENTEDUNFAIRLY&URTHERMOREGAPSINDATACOLLECTIONPREVENTACOMPREHENSIVEUNDERSTANDINGOFTHEFULLEXTENTO
POLICEANDJUVENILECOURTINVOLVEMENTINSCHOOLBASEDMATTERSANDTHECONNECTIONSBETWEENSCHOOLDISCIPLINEINVOLVEMENTINTHE
JUVENILEANDCRIMINALJUSTICESYSTEMSANDACADEMICPERFORMANCE
7ERECOMMENDIMPROVINGSTATEWIDETRANSPARENCYANDACCOUNTABILITYINTHEFOLLOWINGWAYS
! 2EQUIRINGSCHOOLDISTRICTSTOSUBMITQUARTERLYREPORTSOFTHEIRSCHOOLDISCIPLINEDATATO-$%ATLEASTFORTHENEXTTWOYEARS
4HESEREPORTSSHOULDINCLUDESUSPENSIONEXPULSIONANDARRESTDATA4HEDATASHOULDBEDISAGGREGATEDBYOFFENSERACE
ETHNICITYGENDERSCHOOLAGEGRADESPECIALEDUCATIONSTATUSANDLIMITED%NGLISHPROlCIENCYSTATUS
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
20/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
" 2EQUIRING-$%TODOTHEFOLLOWING
2EVIEWTHEDISTRICTDATAREPORTSANDUSETHEMTODETERMINEWHETHERORNOTADISTRICTHASCOMPLIEDWITH
2ECOMMENDATIONABOVE)FTHEREHASBEENNONCOMPLIANCEWITH2ECOMMENDATIONORIFTHEREARESIGNIlCANT
RACIALDISPARITIESEVIDENTINTHEDISTRICTSDATATHEDISTRICTSHOULDBEREQUIREDTOCREATEANACTIONPLANFOR
ADDRESSINGTHOSEISSUESANDSUBMITITTO-$%
2ELEASEANNUALLYAREPORTTHATPUBLISHESSTATEWIDESCHOOLDISCIPLINEDATAINCLUDINGDATAONOUTOFSCHOOL
SUSPENSIONSEXPULSIONSDISCIPLINARYREFERRALSTOALTERNATIVESCHOOLSSCHOOLBASEDARRESTSANDACADEMIC
achievement.
0ROVIDEAYEARLYOPPORTUNITYFORPUBLICCOMMENTONDISTRICTSCOMPLIANCEWITH2ECOMMENDATION
-AKERECOMMENDATIONSTOTHELEGISLATUREFORHOWTOENSUREDISTRICTCOMPLIANCEWITH2ECOMMENDATION
including recommendations for remedial actions, such as heightened monitoring and technical assistance.
3. Resources and Incentives for Developing Safer and More Effective Schools
4OOFEWRESOURCESARECURRENTLYALLOCATEDFOREFFORTSTHATWILLPROMOTEPOSITIVESCHOOLCLIMATESANDALTERNATIVESTOHARSHSCHOOL
discipline.
7ERECOMMENDCREATINGAGRANTPROGRAMTOSUPPORTSCHOOLDISTRICTSINTHEDEVELOPMENTOFPOSITIVESCHOOLCLIMATESSUCHASBY
IMPLEMENTINGRESTORATIVEJUSTICEPROGRAMSTRAININGSCHOOLSTAFFANDLAWENFORCEMENTPERSONNELINRESTORATIVEJUSTICEANDHIRING
ADDITIONALSTUDENTSUPPORTSTAFFSUCHASGUIDANCECOUNSELORSSOCIALWORKERSANDSCHOOLPSYCHOLOGISTS7ERECOMMENDREQUIRING
THOSEDISTRICTSTHATAPPLYFORTHEFUNDSTOSHOWTHATTHEYAREINCOMPLIANCEWITH2ECOMMENDATIONORHOWTHEYWILLUSETHE
FUNDSTOINCREASETHEIRCOMPLIANCEWITH2ECOMMENDATION
4. Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
4OREDUCETHEUSEOFEXCLUSIONARYDISCIPLINEANDTHENUMBEROFSTUDENTSENTERINGTHEJUVENILEANDCRIMINALJUSTICESYSTEMSWE
must engage multiple stakeholders in creating comprehensive local strategies. Such stakeholders should include, but not be
LIMITEDTOPARENTSSTUDENTSSCHOOLDISTRICTSTHEJUVENILEJUSTICESYSTEMLAWENFORCEMENTCOMMUNITYORGANIZATIONSANDSOCIAL
service groups.
We recommend providing funding and incentives to encourage stakeholders and local agencies to adopt a Cooperative
!GREEMENTOR-EMORANDUMOF5NDERSTANDINGTHATDOESTHEFOLLOWING
! %STABLISHESAPARTNERSHIPRELATIONSHIPAMONGCOMMUNITYSTAKEHOLDERSANDLOCALAGENCIESTHATAREINVOLVEDINTHE
HANDLINGOFDISCIPLINARYINCIDENTS
" #HARGESTHECOALITIONWITHDEVELOPINGCOMPREHENSIVESTRATEGIESFORDOINGTHEFOLLOWING
,IMITINGTHENUMBEROFSCHOOLREFERRALSTOLAWENFORCEMENTANDJUVENILECOURT
2EDUCINGTHEDISPROPORTIONATECONTACTSTUDENTSOFCOLORHAVEWITHSCHOOLDISCIPLINEANDTHEJUVENILEJUSTICE
SYSTEM
)NCREASINGGRADUATIONRATES
$ECREASINGTHEUSEOFSTATEANDLOCALFUNDSFORJUVENILEJUSTICEINTERVENTIONSFORMINORMISBEHAVIORINSCHOOL
5. Improved Training
4OOMANYEDUCATORSLAWENFORCEMENTPERSONNELANDOTHERADULTSWITHINTHESCHOOLENVIRONMENTAREUNAWAREOFTHESERIOUS
CONSEQUENCESOFHARSHSCHOOLDISCIPLINEANDTHECRIMINALIZATIONOFYOUTHANDNEEDMOREINFORMATIONONTHEIRIMPACTASWELLAS
TRAININGREGARDINGHOWTOAPPROPRIATELYADDRESSSTUDENTMISBEHAVIOR
7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
21/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
7ERECOMMENDFUNDINGTHE-$%TODEVELOPANDIMPLEMENTTRAININGCURRICULAANDTODIRECTLOCALDISTRICTSTOTRAINADMINISTRATORS
EDUCATORSSCHOOLRESOURCEOFlCERSANDOTHERSCHOOLSTAFFONTHEIRROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIESUNDERTHELOCALDISCIPLINEPOLICY7E
also recommend the legislature provides funds for the implementation of these trainings in districts found to be out of compliance
WITH2ECOMMENDATION3PECIlCALLYTRAININGCURRICULASHOULDINCLUDEATAMINIMUM
! 4RAININGFORSCHOOLADMINISTRATORSTEACHERSSCHOOLSTAFFANDEXPULSIONHEARINGOFlCERSONTHEADVERSECONSEQUENCESOF
EXCLUSIONFROMSCHOOLEFFECTIVECLASSROOMMANAGEMENTTECHNIQUESADOLESCENTDEVELOPMENTANDRELATIONSHIPBUILDING
CONmICTRESOLUTIONRESTORATIVEJUSTICERESTORATIVEPRACTICESOTHERDISCIPLINARYALTERNATIVESANDSTUDENTENGAGEMENT
THROUGHCHALLENGINGANDCULTURALLYRELEVANTCURRICULA7ERECOMMENDTHATTHISTRAININGBECONDUCTEDATMINIMUMTWICE
PERYEARANDBEINCLUDEDINPROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENTTHATISALREADYPROVIDEDTOSCHOOLOFlCIALS
" 4RAININGFORPOLICEANDSECURITYOFlCERSONCHILDANDADOLESCENTDEVELOPMENTCULTURALCOMPETENCEANDBUILDING
RELATIONSHIPSWITHSTUDENTSDEESCALATINGVIOLENTSITUATIONSIDENTIFYINGTHESOCIALEMOTIONALANDMENTALNEEDSOFSTUDENTS
DIRECTINGYOUTHTOAPPROPRIATESERVICESRATHERTHANUSINGFORCEANDDUEPROCESSPROTECTIONSFORSTUDENTS!LLOFlCERS
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22/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
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3 Id.AT
4 Id.AT
5 ADVANCEMENT PROJECT & THE CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, OPPORTUNITIES SUSPENDED: THE
DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCESOF ZERO TOLERANCEAND
SCHOOL DISCIPLINEAVAILABLEAT HTTP
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SUSPENDEDTHEDEVASTATINGCONSEQUENCESOF
ZEROTOLERANCEANDSCHOOLDISCIPLINEPOLICIES
CRPOPPORTUNITIESSUSPENDEDZEROTOLERANCE
pdf[hereinafter OPPORTUNITIES SUSPENDED].
6 Id.
7 Id.AT
8 American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU Files
,AWSUIT#HARGING0OLICEAND3CHOOL/FlCIALSIN
-ISSISSIPPIWITH2ACIAL$ISCRIMINATIONAND%XCESSIVE
&ORCEAGAINST3CHOOLCHILDRENv!PRIL
available at HTTPWWWACLUORGRACIALJUSTICEACLU
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HANDBOOK(2012-2013) 29, available at HTTPWWW
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#IVIL2IGHTS$ATA#OLLECTION
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Moss Point, Meridian, Noxubee, and McComb.See
infra &IGURE&ANDACCOMPANYINGTEXTP53
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MEDIADIPLOMASCOUNT?PRESSRELEASEPDF .
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION ZERO TOLERANCE
TASKFORCE, ARE ZERO TOLERANCE POLICIES EFFECTIVEIN
SCHOOLS? AN EVIDENTIARY REVIEWAND RECOMMENDATIONS
!UGAVAILABLEAT HTTPWWWAPA
ORGPUBSINFOREPORTSZEROTOLERANCEREPORTPDF
[hereinafter APA ZERO TOLERANCE TASKFORCE, ARE ZERO
TOLERANCE POLICIES EFFECTIVE?].See also COUNCILOF STATE
GOVERNMENTS JUSTICE CENTER & TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, BREAKING SCHOOLS RULES:
A STATEWIDE STUDYOF HOW SCHOOL DISCIPLINE RELATESTO
STUDENTS SUCCESSAND JUVENILE JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT 73*ULYAVAILABLEAT HTTPWWWJUSTICECENTER
CSGORGlLES"REAKING?3CHOOLS?2ULES?2EPORT?&INAL
pdf.
EAST JASPER SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENT HANDBOOK&
CODEOF CONDUCTAVAILABLEAT HTTP
WWWEASTJASPERKMSUSASSETSFORMS+IMPRINT
READY(ANDBOOK2EVISED
DOC&).!,WITH/54PDF.
APA ZERO TOLERANCE TASKFORCE, ARE ZERO TOLERANCE
POLICIES EFFECTIVE?,supra NOTEAT
Id.
2EPEATEDNEGATIVEENCOUNTERSWITHPOLICE
OFlCERSCANRESULTINADEEPDISTRUSTOFLAW
ENFORCEMENT)N!FRICAN!MERICANCOMMUNITIES
THEREPEATEDANDORINVASIVEUSEOFINVESTIGATORY
TRAFlCSTOPSFOREXAMPLEHAVEHADTHEEFFECTOF
DRIVINGAWEDGEBETWEENCOMMUNITYMEMBERS
ANDTHEPOLICEMAKINGITLESSLIKELYTHATCOMMUNITY
MEMBERSWILLTRUSTORCOOPERATEWITHTHEPOLICE
DONALD P. HAIDER-MARKEL, CHARLES EPP, STEVEN MAYNARD-
MOODY, CONSTRUCTING DISTRUST: THE CONSEQUENCESOF
AFRICAN AMERICAN ENCOUNTERSWITH POLICE 32-40&EB
AVAILABLEATHTTPSPPCONFERENCE
BLOGSRICEEDUlLES(AIDER-ARKELETAL
300#PDF.
See &IGURE!"ANDACCOMPANYINGTEXT
P0RIVATE/FlCER.EWS.ETWORKh3CHOOL
OFlCERSTRAINFORTHEIRDUTIESv-ARCH
available at HTTPPRIVATEOFlCERNEWSWORDPRESS
COMSCHOOLOFlCERSTRAINFOR
THEIRDUTIESWWWPRIVATEOFlCERCOM. See also U.S.
DEPARTMENTOF JUSTICE, MISSISSIPPIBY AGENCY: ACCEPTED
COPS GRANTS*ANAVAILABLEATHTTPWWW
COPSUSDOJGOVPDF3TATE2EPORTSMSPDF
&ORAFULLERDISCUSSIONOFSOMEOFTHESECOSTS
see infraTEXTONPP
LEVIN, H., BELFIELD, C., ETAL., THE COSTSAND BENEFITS
OF AN EXCELLENT EDUCATIONFOR AMERICAS CHILDREN
AVAILABLEATHTTPWWWCBCSEORGMEDIA
DOWNLOAD?GALLERY,EEDS?2EPORT?&INAL?*AN
pdf.
Id.ATAND
Id.AT
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3OUTHERN$ISTRICTOF-ISSISSIPPI/CT#ASE
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V#ITYOF-ERIDIANETALAVAILABLEATHTTPWWW
JUSTICEGOVCRTABOUTSPLDOCUMENTSMERIDIAN?
COMPLAINT?PDF
Id.AT
33 Id.AT
34 OPPORTUNITIES SUSPENDED,supra note 5, at 3.
35 Id.
36 Id.AT
)NTERVIEWBY!DVANCEMENT0ROJECTOF(OLMES
#OUNTYPARENT*ULY;6IDEORECORDINGONlLE
WITHAUTHORS=
38 American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU Files
,AWSUIT#HARGING0OLICEAND3CHOOL/FlCIALSIN
-ISSISSIPPIWITH2ACIAL$ISCRIMINATIONAND%XCESSIV
&ORCEAGAINST3CHOOLCHILDRENv!PRIL
available at HTTPWWWACLUORGRACIALJUSTICEACLU
lLESLAWSUITCHARGINGPOLICEANDSCHOOLOFlCIALS
MISSISSIPPIRACIAL.
h*035NDER&IREFOR3PECIAL%D6IOLATIONSv
*ACKSON&REE0RESS!PRILAVAILABLEAT
HTTPWWWJACKSONFREEPRESSCOMNEWS
APRJPSUNDERlREFORSPECIALEDVIOLATIONS.
h(IGH3CHOOL3TUDENT#HALLENGES
3USPENSIONS&OR7RITING0OSTING2AP3ONGON
&ACEBOOKv#OURTHOUSE.EWS3ERVICE&EB
AVAILABLEATHTTPWWWCOURTHOUSENEWS
COMHTM .
ENDNOTES
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press.com/2008/03/30/school-officers-train-for-their-duties-wwwprivateofficercom/http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/StateReports2010/ms.pdfhttp://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/StateReports2010/ms.pdfhttp://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/StateReports2010/ms.pdfhttp://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/aclu-files-lawsuit-charging-police-and-school-officials-mississippi-racialhttp://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/aclu-files-lawsuit-charging-police-and-school-officials-mississippi-racialhttp://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/aclu-files-lawsuit-charging-police-and-school-officials-mississippi-racialhttp://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/25/jps-under-fire-for-special-ed-violations/http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/25/jps-under-fire-for-special-ed-violations/http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/25/jps-under-fire-for-special-ed-violations/http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/02/28/34490.htmhttp://www.courthousenews.com/2011/02/28/34490.htmhttp://www.courthousenews.com/2011/02/28/34490.htmhttp://www.courthousenews.com/2011/02/28/34490.htmhttp://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/25/jps-under-fire-for-special-ed-violations/http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/25/jps-under-fire-for-special-ed-violations/http://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/aclu-files-lawsuit-charging-police-and-school-officials-mississippi-racialhttp://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/aclu-files-lawsuit-charging-police-and-school-officials-mississippi-racialhttp://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/aclu-files-lawsuit-charging-police-and-school-officials-mississippi-racialhttp://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/StateReports2010/ms.pdfhttp://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/StateReports2010/ms.pdfhttp://privateofficernews.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/school-officers-train-for-their-duties-wwwprivateofficercom/http://privateofficernews.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/school-officers-train-for-their-duties-wwwprivateofficercom/http://privateofficernews.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/school-officers-train-for-their-duties-wwwprivateofficercom/http://2012sppconference.blogs.rice.edu/files/2012/02/Haider-Markel-et-al-SPPC-2012.pdfhttp://2012sppconference.blogs.rice.edu/files/2012/02/Haider-Markel-et-al-SPPC-2012.pdfhttp://2012sppconference.blogs.rice.edu/files/2012/02/Haider-Markel-et-al-SPPC-2012.pdfhttp://www.eastjasper.k12.ms.us/assets/forms/Kim-print-ready2-10-16-2012-Handbook-2012-2013-Revised-doc-8-25-2012-FINAL-withOUT.pdfhttp://www.eastjasper.k12.ms.us/assets/forms/Kim-print-ready2-10-16-2012-Handbook-2012-2013-Revised-doc-8-25-2012-FINAL-withOUT.pdfhttp://www.eastjasper.k12.ms.us/assets/forms/Kim-print-ready2-10-16-2012-Handbook-2012-2013-Revised-doc-8-25-2012-FINAL-withOUT.pdfhttp://www.eastjasper.k12.ms.us/assets/forms/Kim-print-ready2-10-16-2012-Handbook-2012-2013-Revised-doc-8-25-2012-FINAL-withOUT.pdfhttp://www.justicecenter.csg.org/files/Breaking_Schools_Rules_Report_Final.pdfhttp://www.justicecenter.csg.org/files/Breaking_Schools_Rules_Report_Final.pdfhttp://www.justicecenter.csg.org/files/Breaking_Schools_Rules_Report_Final.pdfhttp://www.apa.org/pubs/info/reports/zero-tolerance-report.pdfhttp://www.apa.org/pubs/info/reports/zero-tolerance-report.pdfhttp://www.edweek.org/media/diplomascount2011_pressrelease.pdfhttp://www.edweek.org/media/diplomascount2011_pressrelease.pdfhttp://psd.schooldesk.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=lKGgGTFEcC4%3d&tabid=8606&mid=12363http://psd.schooldesk.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=lKGgGTFEcC4%3d&tabid=8606&mid=12363http://psd.schooldesk.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=lKGgGTFEcC4%3d&tabid=8606&mid=12363http://www.lauderdale.k12.ms.us/?DivisionID=9052&DepartmentID=9521&ToggleSideNavhttp://www.lauderdale.k12.ms.us/?DivisionID=9052&DepartmentID=9521&ToggleSideNavhttp://www.lauderdale.k12.ms.us/?DivisionID=9052&DepartmentID=9521&ToggleSideNavhttp://colorlines.com/archives/2012/11/school_prison_pipeline_meridian.htmlhttp://colorlines.com/archives/2012/11/school_prison_pipeline_meridian.htmlhttp://colorlines.com/archives/2012/11/school_prison_pipeline_meridian.htmlhttp://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/25/jps-under-fire-for-special-ed-violations/http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/25/jps-under-fire-for-special-ed-violations/http://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/aclu-files-lawsuit-charging-police-and-school-officials-mississippi-racialhttp://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/aclu-files-lawsuit-charging-police-and-school-officials-mississippi-racialhttp://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/aclu-files-lawsuit-charging-police-and-school-officials-mississippi-racialhttp://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/school-discipline/opportunities-suspended-the-devastating-consequences-of-zero-tolerance-and-school-discipline-policies/crp-opportunities-suspended-zero-tolerance-2000.pdfhttp://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/school-discipline/opportunities-suspended-the-devastating-consequences-of-zero-tolerance-and-school-discipline-policies/crp-opportunities-suspended-zero-tolerance-2000.pdfhttp://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/school-discipline/opportunities-suspended-the-devastating-consequences-of-zero-tolerance-and-school-discipline-policies/crp-opportunities-suspended-zero-tolerance-2000.pdfhttp://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/school-discipline/opportunities-suspended-the-devastating-consequences-of-zero-tolerance-and-school-discipline-policies/crp-opportunities-suspended-zero-tolerance-2000.pdfhttp://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/school-discipline/opportunities-suspended-the-devastating-consequences-of-zero-tolerance-and-school-discipline-policies/crp-opportunities-suspended-zero-tolerance-2000.pdfhttp://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/school-discipline/opportunities-suspended-the-devastating-consequences-of-zero-tolerance-and-school-discipline-policies/crp-opportunities-suspended-zero-tolerance-2000.pdfhttp://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/school-discipline/opportunities-suspended-the-devastating-consequences-of-zero-tolerance-and-school-discipline-policies/crp-opportunities-suspended-zero-tolerance-2000.pdfhttp://www.justice.gov/crt/about/spl/documents/meridian_complaint_10-24-12.pdfhttp://www.justice.gov/crt/about/spl/documents/meridian_complaint_10-24-12.pdfhttp://www.justice.gov/crt/about/spl/documents/meridian_complaint_10-24-12.pdfhttp://www.stophitting.com/index.php?page=statesbanninghttp://www.stophitting.com/index.php?page=statesbanning7/29/2019 REPORT: Handcuffs on Success: The Extreme School Discipline Crisis in Mississippi Public Schools
23/28 (ANDCUFFSON3UCCESSs*ANUARY
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-ISSISSIPPI3CHOOLTO0RISON0IPELINEv#OLORLINES
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ADVANCEMENT PROJECT,TEST, PUNISH, AND PUSH-OUT:
HOW ZERO TOLERANCE AND HIGH-STAKES TESTING FUNNEL
YOUTHINTOTHE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE 9-10-ARCH
;HEREINAFTERTEST, PUNISH, AND PUSH-OUT])N
-ISSISSIPPIASINMANYSTATESAROUNDTHECOUNTRY
the incarceration rate has exploded over the
LASTYEARS4HETOTALNUMBEROFINCARCERATED
INDIVIDUALSTRIPLEDBETWEENANDFROM
TO NICOLE D. PORTER, THE SENTENCING
PROJECT, INCARCERATION TRENDSIN MISSISSIPPI 1988-2008
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FREQUENCYOVERTHATTIMESee, e.g., Marc Mauer, Why
Are Tough on Crime Policies So Popular,STAN. L. & POLY REV
43 LAUDERDALE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENT/PARENT
HANDBOOKAVAILABLEAT HTTPWWW
LAUDERDALEKMSUS$IVISION)$$EPARTME
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46 PASCAGOULA SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENT HANDBOOK
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;ONlLEWITHAUTHORS=
$URINGTHE
SCHOOLYEARTHEREWEREREFERRALSTOLAW
ENFORCEMENTANDORYOUTHCOURTIN!MITE#OUNTY
3CHOOL$ISTRICT)NASMALLDISTRICTWITHONLY
APPROXIMATELYSTUDENTSEVENONEARREST
CANHAVEANIMPACTONTHEENTIRESTUDENTBODY
$ATA/BTAINEDFROM!MITE#OUNTY3CHOOL$ISTRICT
0URSUANTTO0UBLIC2ECORDS2EQUEST;ONlLE
WITHAUTHORS=
$ATA/BTAINEDFROM-ERIDIAN0OLICE
$EPARTMENT0URSUANTTO0UBLIC2ECORDS2EQUEST
;ONlLEWITHAUTHORS="ECAUSETHE-ERIDIAN
#OUNTY0OLICE$EPARTMENTDOESNOTKEEP
COMPREHENSIVEDATAITISIMPOSSIBLETOKNOW
WHETHERALLOFTHESEARRESTSWEREFORSCHOOLBASED
offenses.
$ATAOBTAINEDFROM*ACKSON0OLICE
$EPARTMENT0URSUANTTO0UBLIC2ECORDS2EQUEST
;ONlLEWITHAUTHORS="ECAUSETHE*ACKSON
0OLICE$EPARTMENTDOESNOTKEEPCOMPREHENSIVE
DATAITISIMPOSSIBLETOKNOWWHETHERALLOFTHESE
ARRESTSAREFORSCHOOLBASEDOFFENSES
Id.
'ARY3WEETENWho Will Graduate? Disruption of High
School Education by Arrest and Court InvolvementJUSTICE
QUARTERLY
-ANA'OLZARI3TEPHEN*(UNTAND!RASH
Anoshiravani, The health status of youth in juvenile detention
facilities, 38 JOURNALOF ADOLESCENT HEALTH
54 Id.
)NTERVIEWBY!DVANCEMENT0ROJECTOF!MITE
#OUNTY%LEMENTARY3CHOOLSTUDENTANDPARENT*ULY
;6IDEORECORDINGONlLEWITHAUTHORS=
)NTERVIEWBY!DVANCEMENT0ROJECTOF*ONES
#OUNTY%LEMENTARY3CHOOLSTUDENT*ULY
;6IDEORECORDINGONlLEWITHAUTHORS=
53$EPARTMENTOF%DUCATION/FlCEFOR#IVIL
2IGHTS#IVIL2IGHTS$ATA#OLLECTION
58 Id.
Id.
2ESEARCHONSTUDENTBEHAVIORHASFOUNDNO
evidence that the overrepresentation of Black
students in school discipline is due to more
MISBEHAVIORANDTHATEVENWHENCONTROLLING
for socioeconomic status, students of color are
DISPROPORTIONATELYIMPACTED RUSSELL SKIBA, THE
COLOROF DISCIPLINE: SOURCESOF RACIALAND GENDER
DISPROPORTIONALITYIN SCHOOL PUNISHMENT*UNE
available at HTTPWWWINDIANAEDU%SAFESCHLcod.pdf&OREXAMPLEACOMPREHENSIVE4EXASSTUDY
FOUNDTHAT"LACKSTUDENTSWEREFARMORELIKELYTHAN
7HITESTUDENTSTOBESUSPENDEDFORDISCRETIONARY
OFFENSESLIKEDISRESPECTORDISRUPTIONANDWEREALSO
MORELIKELYTORECEIVEEXCLUSIONARYDISCIPLINETHAN
7HITESTUDENTSFORTHEIRlRSTDISCIPLINARYVIOLATION
JUSTICE CENTER THE COUNCILOF STATE GOVERNMENTSAND
PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, BREAKING SCHOOLS RULES,
A STATEWIDE STUDYOF HOW SCHOOL DISCIPLINE RELATESTO
STUDENTS SUCCESSAND JUVENILE JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT
*ULYAVAILABLEAT HTTPJUSTICECENTERCSGORG
RESOURCESJUVENILES4HE&LORIDA3TATE#ONFERENCE
of the NAACP has also reported that in Florida
SCHOOLS"LACKMALESTUDENTSWEREMOSTLIKELYTOBE
ARRESTEDFORMISDEMEANORDISORDERLYCONDUCTWHILETHEIR7HITEMALEPEERSWERESUBJECTEDTOARRESTFOR
objective offenses like drug and alcohol offenses.
FLORIDA DEPARTMENTOF JUVENILE JUSTICE, DELINQUENCYIN
FLORIDAS SCHOOLS: A SEVEN YEAR STUDY.OVEMBER
AVAILABLEATHTTPWWWDJJSTATEmUS
DOCSRESEARCHDELINQUENCYINSCHOOLS
ANALYSISPDFSFVRSN.
)NTERVIEWBY!DVANCEMENT0ROJECTOF*ONES
#OUNTY(IGH3CHOOLSTUDENT*ULY;6IDEO
RECORDINGONlLEWITHAUTHORS=
Id.
)NTERVIEWBY!DVANCEMENT0ROJECTOF(OLMES
#OUNTYPARENT*ULY;6IDEORECORDINGONlLE
WITHAUTHORS=
64 American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU Files
,AWSUIT#HARGING0OLICEAND3CHOOL/FlCIALSIN
-ISSISSIPPIWITH2ACIAL$ISCRIMINATIONAND%XCESSIV
&ORCEAGAINST3CHOOLCHILDRENv!PRIL
available at HTTPWWWACLUORGRACIALJUSTICEACLU
lLESLAWSUITCHARGINGPOLICEANDSCHOOLOFlCIALS
MISSISSIPPIRACIAL.
53$EPARTMENTOF%DUCATION/FlCEFOR#IVIL
2IGHTS#IVIL2IGHTS$ATA#OLLECTION
66 Id.
67 Id.
2ACETOTHE4OP!PPLICATION!SSURANCES
-ISSISSIPPI$EPARTMENTOF%DUCATION-AY
AVAILABLEATHTTPWWWEDGOVPROGRAMS
RACETOTHETOPPHASEAPPLICATIONSMISSISSIPPIPDF.
h$IPLOMAS#OUNT"EYOND(IGH3CHOOL
Before BaccalaureateMeaningful Alternatives
TOA&OUR9EAR$EGREEv%DUCATION7EEK*UNE
AVAILABLEATHTTPWWWEDWEEKORGMEDIADIPLOMASCOUNT?PRESSRELEASEPDF.
Id.
Id.
/UTOF3CHOOL3USPENSION$ATAAVAILABLE
FROM53$EPARTMENTOF%DUCATIO