Over the past 15 years, school districts nationwide have developed “zero tolerance” discipline policies, using suspensions, expulsions and arrests to exclude misbehaving children from the classroom at the first offense.

Zero tolerance discipline is discriminatory, ineffective, and a major contributor to the School to Prison Pipeline. It is used disproportionately against males, students of color, students from low income households, and students with disabilities. It pushes our most disadvantaged children out of school, leaving them vulnerable to drugs and crime, increasing the likelihood that they will drop out, and making it much more likely that they will serve prison terms.

In New York, where the NYPD has been at the helm of school security and discipline for a decade, zero tolerance often represents a child’s introduction into the criminal justice system.

The Student Safety Act is an important first step in addressing the criminalization of student behavior.  The legislation was introduced by Council Member Robert Jackson in August 2008 and has 26 co-sponsors. But the act has stalled without a hearing for months, delaying these important changes for more than one million New York City students.  To stand up for students and the Student Safety Act, click here.