Several education news stories in 2016 impacted the African-American community. Black educators reached new heights and the community debated school choice.
One of the Spring Valley High School students arrested last year is raising awareness about girls in the school-to-prison pipeline. Niya Kenny has graduated and now interns for a social justice nonprofit.
The Department of Justice announced that it will phase out its use of private prisons. There's no need for them with the declining population of federal prisoners.
The Department of Justice and a South Carolina sheriff's department reach an agreement on police involvement in student discipline. Meanwhile the ACLU files a lawsuit against the state's vaguely worded statutes blamed for filling the school to prison pipeline.
An analysis of data revealed that the police arrest Black & Hispanic students disproportionately in NYC schools. The police are also more likely to handcuff students of color.
Baltimore County public schools are exploring ways to reduce suspensions for students of color. Hundreds of educators attended a two-day conference to find solutions.
St. Louis school officials announced a ban against automatic out-of-school suspensions of students in preschool through second grade. This move follows a report that said Missouri leads the nation in suspending Black elementary school students.
According to author Monique Morris, Black girls make up 16 percent of American school students, but account for over 33 percent of school arrests.
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton proposed spending $2 billion on alternatives to traditional school punishment. Her plan, and other alternatives like restorative justice, seek to end the school-to-prison pipeline.
Data analysis finds that nearly half of the nation's largest school districts hired more security officers than counselors. This study adds to the national discussion about the school-to-prison pipeline.
