To: State and Federal Legislature
Every Child Is Mine
To empower school communities and stakeholders to adopt cultures that are supportive to the holistic development of students of color and their leaders -despite the challenges of racial bias, school-to-prison pipeline, intellectual or behavior ability. In taking care of the least of us, we take care of us all. Develop policies that will demonstrate:
1) what Restorative Justice in Education looks like in ACTION
2) an approach to discipline with trauma-informed care, and
3) support of school personnel such as nurses, paraprofessionals, counselors and classroom aides.
It needs legislators to hold school communities accountable to adopt cultures that are supportive to the holistic development of the students and leadership.
Why is this important?
School Students of color are disproportionately pipelined from school to juvenile detention through discriminatory policies such as No Child Left Behind and minor disciplinary infractions. Girls are targeted at a larger rate than their male counterpart for an entirely separate set of issues that lead to the discipline infractions. It is leaving our children inadequately prepared for High School Graduation. Often once in the juvenile system, it’s difficult to return to public school and alternative education does less than what our children deserve as an education. Having worked with youth directly, and hearing their perspectives then listening to the teachers and families, I understand why change can't wait. If you or someone you love are a POC and have a child in a public school system in this country, EVERY CHILD IS MINE will give you peace of mind.