Following the arrest of a Schenectady High School student on school grounds on Wednesday, the public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education reiterates our position that policing children is not a solution that addresses root causes of disciplinary issues. Read the following statement in response:
“Incidents like the one in Schenectady this week underscore the need to reform school discipline to stop pushing students out and instead provide social-emotional and family supports they need to be successful,” said Jasmine Gripper, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education.
“Our public schools should not be relying on police to handle misconduct by students. We need a commitment in our public schools to proven alternatives to suspension and arrest, such as restorative practices. We need solutions that are focused on holding students accountable and helping them learn from their mistakes, and to provide the support they need to address the cause of the problem.”
See also our statement of support for Schenectady School Board Member Jamaica Miles, a parent leader who represents the views of many other parents that are fighting to end the school to prison pipeline.