1. In 2014, a report came out stating 5% of the worlds humans
are behind prison bars. Of that 5 percent 25percent come
from the United States The last few years trends also
showed alarming percentages of having learning disabilities
especially those relating to reading compression and grasp
of English.
Materials and methods
The project first started with an interest in statistical data
showing uneven trends in populations of Non-Whites serving
sentences for minor and medium level offenses
Materials needed for this presentation were articles from
journal excerpts by reputable sources and communication with
my professors
I asked several questions:
What is the break down of population in prison and locals jails
based on race?
Do policies in the school systems contribute to the increase of
students from non affluent families targeted by local
correctional officers resulting in suspension, expulsion or even
arrest?
Are there any contributing factors that assisted in detainment?
If so what were they and how did they impact the given
situation?
Results
Conclusion:
Kathryn McDermott’s work ,evaluating the impact of
President Johnsons Elementary and Secondary Act,
fifty years later, explains we are still affected by
segregated school boundaries in the United States. The
increased police presence in the public schools has
lead to a disproportionate increase of student with
learning disabilities and non white backgrounds
finding themselves suspended or expelled from school
for minor infractions in Boston and Springfield Ma.
The school to prison Pipeline has caused massive
increased percentages of students of color from poor
communities targeted by the Zero Tolerance Policy.
Students in the Boston and Springfield areas, where
populations lived, higher percentage of African
American and latino/a populations lived experienced
higher levels of detainment through school policies,
leading to an increased involvement with the law later
down the road. Many students targeted by Zero
Tolerance and impacted by George Bushes; No Child
Let Behind Act in 2005 exacerbated the percentage of
students who were likely to drop out of school before
completing a high diploma.
As students failed out of school, many continued to
encounter more run ins with the police. The likelihood
of a person without economical means tend serve
longer sentences for minor crimes. The three strikes
rule takes into account any violations a student may
have incurred during school.
Catherine (CD) Lefebvre
Junior Honors Student Major: STPEC
Literature cited
Dermott, Kathryn, David Gamson, and Douglas Reed. "The Elementary and Secondary Education Act at Fifty:
Aspirations, Effects, and Limitations." The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences 1, no. 3
(2015): 1-29. Accessed March 25, 2016. http://www.rsfjournal.org/doi/full/10.7758/RSF.2015.1.3.01.
Resmovits, Joy. "Yes, Schools Do Discriminate Against Students Of Color -- Reports." The Huffington
Post. Accessed April 21, 2016. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/13/school-
discipline-race_n_4952322.html.
Leone, Pete, Christine Christle, Michael Nelson, Russle Skiba, Andy Frey, and Kristine Jovilette.
"School Failure, Race, and Disability: Promoting Positive Outcomes, Decreasing Vulnerability
for Involvement with the Juvenile Delinquency System." Accessed April 14, 2016.
file:///E:/school failure, race, and disability.pdf.
"Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 - Social Welfare History Project." Social Welfare
History Project. 2011. Accessed April 13, 2016.
http://www.socialwelfarehistory.com/programs/education/elementary-and-secondary-
education-act-of-1965/.
"Massachusetts’ School-To-Prison Pipeline, Explained." Learninglab. Accessed April 21, 2016.
http://learninglab.wbur.org/topics/massachusetts-school-to-prison-pipeline-explained/.