All children have the constitutional right to an equal education.
Many students of color and students with disabilities in Missouri aren’t getting their rightful opportunity to learn because they face more frequent and harsher school punishment than their peers.
Excessive and unnecessary school discipline is costly, unconstitutional and makes Missouri’s children more likely to enter the criminal justice system.
On Oct. 12, we’ll release our statewide report on this disturbing trend: “From School to Prison: Missouri’s Pipeline of Injustice.”
The ACLU of Missouri is working with parents, teachers, school administrators and policymakers to change our education system. Creating better school climates demands action at all levels – within districts, within school communities, and in policymaking.
Here’s a sneak peek at some of the recommendations we’re making to stop this pipeline of injustice:
- For Students: Know your rights when you interact with law enforcement at your school.
- For Parents: Learn how to appeal a school’s disciplinary actions.
- For Policymakers: Eliminate out-of-school suspension and expulsion.
- For Law Enforcement: Create policies to ensure that the arrest or detention of a student is a last resort.
- For Legislators: Require schools to adopt student search policies that match Fourth Amendment protections.
Missouri must offer an opportunity to succeed for all of its young people so they can thrive as adults.
We’ll share the report with you next week as we begin to embark on a statewide effort to stop the school-to-prison pipeline. You can also watch our press conference on Thursday, October 12 at 9:30 a.m. on Facebook Live and hear school reform advocates talk about how we must act now.
Stay tuned for opportunities where, together, we can create a better future for all of Missouri’s children.