A Canary in the Mine

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children of color, My Brother's Keeper, President Obama, school suspensions, zero tolerance policies

There are mixed reactions to President Obama’s initiative aimed at helping boys of color reach their potential. Supporters argue that the proposed services are long overdue. Others argue that the program excludes girls of color who, like their male counterparts, also suffer the consequences of systemic inequities. They fear that My Brother’s Keeper reinforces gendered notions of male success, and demeans the efforts of single mothers to provide for their children.

Despite the controversy that surrounds it, My Brother’s Keeper underscores the short-sightedness of zero tolerance discipline policies, and the criminalization of childhood misbehavior. These policies are particularly detrimental to children of color. African American children are suspended 4x as often as their white peers; Latinos 2x as often. Nationally, one third of all African American male middle school students were suspended at least once during the 2009-2010 school year. And why? Because they were “willfully defiant”.

Suspensions are like the canary in the coal mine. They signal children’s downward slide. Even one suspension significantly increases a child’s chances of dropping out of school. And for many, suspensions increase the likelihood of involvement with the juvenile justice system.

My Brother’s Keeper challenges communities to step up to provide children and youth with the “rules and tools” they need to harness their emotions, regulate their behavior, and acquire the confidence they need to become successful, contributing adults.

Want to help? Contribute your time or resources to organizations working to support the needs of children and youth. Learn more at:

• Boys and Girls Club of America   http://www.bgca.org/Pages/index.aspx
• National 4-H Organization          http://www.4-h.org/
• Big Brother Big Sister                http://www.bbbs.org/site/
• YMCA                                       http://www.ymca.net/

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An End to Zero Tolerance

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Arnie Duncan, Eric Holder, restorative discipline, school to prison pipeline, zero tolerance policies

Arnie Duncan and Eric Holder joined forces this month to draw attention to what some have called the most serious civil rights problem of the 21^st century – the school to prison pipeline.  It is the result of zero tolerance school discipline policies implemented after the Columbine shootings in 1991. The intent of the policies is to protect children, and provide them with a safe learning environment. But for many children, they have had the opposite effect.  Thousands receive out of school suspensions for misbehaviors ranging from dress code violations to disrespect and defiance.

And the problems don’t stop there. Children of color and those with disabilities are suspended more frequently than their peers. Children suspended from school one or more times are far more likely than peers to experience school failure, drop out of school, and become involved with the juvenile justice system.

The changes proposed by Duncan and Holder represent a fundamental shift in perspective toward childhood wrong doing. More developmentally appropriate than traditional models, the new legislation acknowledges the need to teach children how to regulate how they react to others in their environment. Emphasis is placed on the relational aspects of behavior, and the need to help youth learn how to restore peace and understanding following disruptive situations.

This type of restorative discipline has its roots in Native American cultures who form a circle of elders around young boys to offer advice and support. When inappropriate behaviors occur, these elders help offenders make restitution to the community for any damages that occur.

Within the school setting, restorative discipline has a similar collaborative tone. Emphasis is placed less on compliance, and more on building awareness of the effects of a student’s misbehavior on the well-being of others. Adults help wrongdoers recognize the harmful effects of their actions, and plan for ways to avoid similar incidents from happening in the future. When appropriate, they support an offender’s efforts at reparation.

You can read more about restorative discipline at:

www.dignityinschools.org and www.iirp.edu