Wednesday, June 6, 2012

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT AGAINST SUSPENSIONS AT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HEARING





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2012
Contact: Shoshi Chowdhury, Dignity in Schools Campaign-NY, (347) 832-8391,
 shoshi@nesri.org 


STUDENTS SPEAK OUT AGAINST SUSPENSIONS AT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HEARING
New York, NY - On June 5, after more than 150 students, parents, educators, and elected officials rallied at a press conference demanding positive alternatives to high suspension rates in New York City schools, students with the Dignity in Schools Campaign-New York (DSC-NY) testified at a public hearing on the newly revised School Discipline Code before the NYC Department of Education at Stuyvesant High School.

“My brother got suspended because he got into a shouting match with somebody, and then after that he continued to get suspended, and now my brother dropped out of school, and he’s only 16,” said Aiesha Vegas, an 18 year-old student at Satellite Academy in the Bronx and a leader at Youth on the Move. “When kids are getting suspended and they come back to school and they’re behind, they feel more discouraged, and that’s why they end up cutting school, which leads to them getting arrested, and which leads to them not graduating,” she added.

The newly revised Discipline Code takes some positive steps to limit the use of suspension, but still lists 25 infractions for which middle and high school students can be suspended for an entire school year. There were more than 73,400 suspensions in the 2010-2011 school year alone. 
 

City Council Member Daniel Dromm, a former teacher who worked in New York City public schools for 25 years, also spoke at the hearing. “Despite the administration’s stated commitment to helping Black and Latino students this demographic still comprises a disproportionately high number of students hurt by our schools discipline system. The criminalization of our students must stop.  The focus should be on using the discipline system to address underlying issues that cause infractions in the first place.” 
 

DSC-NY is calling for a 50% reduction in suspensions by September 2013 and for the DOE to:
1.    End all suspensions for minor behavior infractions, like defying or disobeying authority, shoving or pushing, that are listed in Levels 1-3 of the Discipline Code.
2.    Require that schools use positive interventions before they can suspend a student, including for behaviors like fighting listed in Levels 4-5 of the Discipline Code.
3.    End long-term suspensions of more than 10 days.
4.    Fund and implement positive school-wide approaches to discipline in 10 high need schools, and in each of those schools designate and train a Restorative Discipline Coordinator.

“My brother got suspended for wearing a sweatshirt in school. He felt so targeted in that school that eventually he dropped out. Each suspension plays a role in the long run of students’ educational careers. When a student misses a class they miss important information needed to pass their classes; eventually it becomes easier to fail and drop out of high school,” said Adilka Pimentel, a member of Make the Road New York. “Schools need to implement and REQUIRE the use of positive interventions and alternatives to suspensions. I am worried that if these types of changes are not made that more students like my brother and sister will continue to be pushed out of school and not on the path to graduation.”

Visit
 http://stopstudentsuspensions.blogspot.com/ to read suspension stories posted by DSC-NY. Every day that we wait for the appropriate changes to the Discipline Code, 260 students are suspended.

The Dignity in Schools Campaign-New York is a coalition of students, parents, educators, civil rights, students’ rights and community organizations, including: Advocates for Children of New York, Brooklyn Movement Center, Center for Community Alternatives, Children’s Defense Fund-New York, Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, Coalition for Gender Equity in Schools, Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM), Future of Tomorrow, Make the Road New York, Mass Transit Street Theater, National Economic and Social Rights Initiative (NESRI), New Settlement Apartments Parent Action Committee, Pumphouse Projects, Sistas and Brothas United, Teachers Unite, The Sikh Coalition, Urban Youth Collaborative (UYC), Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, Youth on the Move, and Youth Represent.
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Media Coverage:


http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/06/06/students-and-others-rally-before-discipline-code-hearing/ 

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/education/162534/doe-officials-hold-public-meeting-on-revised-discipline-code

http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/06/05/nyc-schools-proposes-reduced-suspension-and-progressive-discipline/ 

Monday, June 4, 2012

Education Not Suspension: Call to Action!



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2012
Contact: Liz Sullivan, National Economic and Social Rights Initiatives, 
(646) 713-5288liz@nesri.org
Shoshi Chowdhury, Dignity in Schools Campaign-NY, 
(347) 832-8391shoshi@nesri.org

Suspension Crisis in NYC Schools; Students, Parents, Teachers Take Action


High suspension rates will continue unless Bloomberg and Walcott require positive alternatives to suspension in all schools

New York, NY - On June 5th at 5:30 p.m. the Dignity in Schools Campaign-New York (DSC-NY) will hold a press conference and rally outside of Stuyvesant High School with students, parents, teachers and lawmakers to challenge the latest draft of the NYC Discipline Code as not going far enough to address the disproportionate suspension of students of color. At 6:00 p.m., community members and lawmakers will testify at the NYC Department of Education (DOE) Hearing on the new draft Discipline Code.

DSC-NY is calling for systemic changes to significantly limit the number of infractions that result in suspension and to require the use of positive guidance interventions, like restorative approaches, in all schools. DSC-NY is calling for an overall 50% reduction in suspensions by September 2013.

Visit 
http://stopstudentsuspensions.blogspot.com to read a new suspension story posted by DSC-NY each day between May 22 and the June 5 hearing. Every day that we wait for the appropriate changes to the Discipline Code, 260 students are suspended.

What: Press Conference at Department of Education Hearing.

Where:
 Stuyvesant High School, 345 Chambers St, Manhattan

When: Tuesday, June 5th, 5:30 p.m.

Who:  Robert Jackson, City Council Member, Chair of Education Committee; Daniel Dromm, City Council Member, District 25; student, parent and teacher speakers

* Photo-op, protesters will be wearing t-shirts and holding colorful signs designed by high school students. Speakers will be available for interviews.*

The Dignity in Schools Campaign-New York is a coalition of students, parents, educators, civil rights, students’ rights and community organizations, including: Advocates for Children of New York, Brooklyn Movement Center, Center for Community Alternatives, Children’s Defense Fund-New York, Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, Coalition for Gender Equity in Schools, Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM), Future of Tomorrow, Make the Road New York, Mass Transit Street Theater, National Economic and Social Rights Initiative (NESRI), New Settlement Apartments Parent Action Committee, Pumphouse Projects, Sistas and Brothas United, Teachers Unite, The Sikh Coalition, Urban Youth Collaborative (UYC), Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, Youth on the Move, and Youth Represent
                                                                                                                              ###

J.M, 16, Satellite Academy in The Bronx


There was this one time when I was walking to class and the principal stopped me because I was not in uniform. My old school had a dress code that we were suppose to follow which were black / grey or khaki pants & a collar shirt of any color besides red, because of gang problems. I was suspended for 5 days; I was really upset and mad. Mad at the fact that I was suspended for such little thing. My mom came in and spoke about my suspension and she said " My daughter shouldn't be getting suspended for dress code, you could've sent her home and called me instead of taking it this far. " Days passed and I remained in a basement doing work with kids I didn't know kids that were misbehaving, cursing, throwing things around and disrespecting the teacher that was watching us.  This is unfair, this should STOP NOW!
                                                                                               
J.M, 16, Satellite Academy in The Bronx 

Friday, June 1, 2012

I.H. is 15 years old at I.S. 302


“My first suspension was in the first grade. I was suspended for fighting. A boy was talking about my grandfather [maternal], who passed away before I was born, and my mother. I told him to watch his mouth and then hit him. This happened in class before the teacher started teaching. The teacher was in the room and called security. They took me to the principal’s office and called my parents.”


I.H. is 15 years old and is currently at I.S. 302