U.S. acts to keep minority, disabled students out of jail

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

U.S. acts to keep minority, disabled students out of jail
WASHINGTON Wed Jan 8, 2014 12:02am EST

(Reuters) - The Justice and Education departments unveiled guidelines on Wednesday to prevent schools from violating civil rights laws and keep students out of jail after data found minorities and the disabled were more likely than others to face discipline or arrest.

Attorney General Eric Holder said the guidelines were aimed at giving direction to school law enforcement officers, protecting the civil rights of students, and keeping kids in the classroom.

"A routine school disciplinary infraction should land a student in the principal's office, not in a police precinct," Holder said in a statement.

The guidelines came after the Justice Department sued Mississippi state and local officials in 2012 over what it called a "school-to-prison pipeline" that violated the rights of children, especially black and disabled youths.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/08/us-usa-education-discipline-idUSBREA0705S20140108?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&rpc=401

[Tx4obama]

1. K&R n/t

[mountain grammy]

2. Yes, finally., although "guidelines" understates the enormity of this issue.

I hope the justice department puts some teeth in these guidelines.

[last1standing]

3. This issue needs much more work but this is the first time any administration has approached.

At least that I know of. We used to have a "school-to-job" pipeline that placed these kids into manual labor positions. Now that those jobs no longer exist we need to find an alternative that doesn't result in caging them up like animals.

[azurnoir]

4. oh does that mean we won't be seeing stories about

dangerous delinquent 6 year olds being led out the classroom in handcuffs?

'bout time for this

[Jesus Malverde]

5. bump... nt

[okaawhatever]

6. The SPLC has been great about civil lawsuits and following up on justice department and court

findings. They have also taken Louisiana and Alabama and I think florida to court over this. The SPLC website has several stories about their different cases. Worth the read.