School-to-Prison Pipeline Preliminary Report February 2016 Authors Professors Sarah E. Redfield & Jason P. Nance The School-to-Prison Pipeline Task Force is a project of the Coalition on Racial and Ethnic Justice, Criminal Justice Section and Council for Racial & Ethnic Diversity in the Educational Pipeline. This draft report is subject to further review and modification by the Joint Task Force. The content of this report has not been presented in its entirety to, or approved by, the American Bar Association House Delegates or the Board of Governors, and therefore should not be construed as representing ABA policy, unless adopted pursuant to the bylaws of the Association. 1 AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION JOINT TASK FORCE ON REVERSING THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE TABLE OF CONTENTS American Bar Association ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Joint Task Force on Reversing the School-to-Prison Pipeline ............................................................................... 2 Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 Table of Figures ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................................... 6 Notice ........................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Note on References ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 Preliminary Report and Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 7 Preface .......................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Joint Task Force on Reversing the School-to-Prison Pipeline (RStPP) ................................................................ 9 Founding Task Force Members ............................................................................................................................ 9 Advisory Committee Members ............................................................................................................................ 9 ABA Entity Founding Support ............................................................................................................................ 9 Task Force Reporter ............................................................................................................................................... 9 Executive Summary of Findings and Recommendations ................................................................................... 10 Recommendations .................................................................................................................................................... 12 ABA and Partners: Convenings and Training ................................................................................................. 12 Legislation and Policy ......................................................................................................................................... 13 Overview of the School-to-Prison Pipeline Problem ........................................................................................... 14 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 14 The Context ...................................................................................................................................................... 15 The Manifestations ............................................................................................................................................... 24 Disproportionality manifests itself all along the pipeline where students of color are poorly served. ........................................................................................................................................................................... 25 For students with disabilities, disproportionality manifests itself all along the pipeline in areas similar to those outlined in the preceding section on students of color. ................................................................... 34 Similar disproportionalities and difficulties impact LGBTQ and GNC young people. ............................. 40 These same disproportionalities experienced in school plague the juvenile justice system. .................... 41 Societal Consequences for Imprisoning Youth ..................................................................................................... 47 Causes of the School-to-Prison Pipeline ................................................................................................................ 50 Criminalization of School Discipline ................................................................................................................. 50 The Increased Presence of Law Enforcement Officers in Schools ................................................................. 51 2 The Role of Implicit Bias and Related Unconscious Associations/Decisions ............................................. 54 Acknowledging that prior intervention has not proven sufficient. ......................................................... 56 Summary of implicit bias research and its implications for the school-to-prison pipeline. ................. 57 Summary of group dynamics research and its implications for the school-to-prison pipeline. .......... 58 Summary of micromessaging research and its implications for the school-to-prison pipeline. .......... 60 Putting Implicit together to understand the pipeline. ............................................................................... 61 New Response to the School-to-Prison Pipeline: A Focus on Implicit .................................................... 63 Overview of Town Hall Meetings .......................................................................................................................... 64 Background Information Provided for 2014-15 Town Halls .......................................................................... 64 Chicago Town Hall Meeting – February 7, 2014 .............................................................................................. 65 Boston Town Hall Meeting – August 8, 2014 ................................................................................................... 68 Houston Town Hall Meeting – February 6, 2015 ............................................................................................. 69 Arizona State University Town Hall Meeting – March 27, 2015 ................................................................... 72 New Orleans Town Hall Meeting – April 14, 2015 ......................................................................................... 74 Honolulu Town Hall Meeting – April 18, 2015 ................................................................................................ 76 Miami Town Hall Meeting – May 14, 2015....................................................................................................... 77 Chicago Roundtable Discussion – July 31, 2015 .............................................................................................. 78 Appendix A. Selected Current Legislative Initiatives ......................................................................................... 80 Legislation eliminating criminalizing student misbehavior that does not endanger others ..................... 80 Legislation eliminating the use of suspensions, expulsions, and referrals to law enforcement for lower- level offenses ......................................................................................................................................................... 80 Legislation to Support school policy and agreements that clarify the distinction between educator discipline and law enforcement discipline ....................................................................................................... 81 Legislation requiring and providing financial support for training of SROs and police dealing with youth on appropriate strategies for LGBTQ students and students with disabilities. ............................... 81 Legislation supporting alternative strategies to address student misbehavior, including Restorative Justice ..................................................................................................................................................................... 82 Legislation supporting continued and more detailed data reporting relating to school discipline and juvenile detention and disproportionality........................................................................................................ 82 Appendix B. Recommended Programs ................................................................................................................. 84 1. Implicit Bias