Anna Deavere Smith's performance of The Pipeline Project takes place at 7:30 pm on October 30 in Bing Concert Hall. This performance is part of the 2015-16 Live Context: Art + Ideas series on the theme of Arts and Social Change.

To help you learn more about the “school-to-prison pipeline” and the effects of public school policies that criminalize misbehavior and disproportionately subject students of color and low-income backgrounds to exclusionary discipline or criminal prosecution, we've compiled a preliminary list of policy solutions, organizations, and resources.

 

POLICY AND INITIATIVES

U.S. Dept. of Education Office of Civil Rights ensures equal access to education through the enforcement of civil rights, serving students facing discrimination, advocates, and institutions by providing policy guidance, data, and support for those working to rethink school discipline.

Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity released their 2015 Implicit Bias Review to deepen understanding of the causes of—and solutions to—racial and ethnic disparities worldwide and to bring about a society that is fair and just for all people.

American Civil Liberties Union School-to-Prison Pipeline Fact Sheet 

Fixschooldiscipline.org is a comprehensive resource for school personnel, parents, students, and community members who aim to replace harsh, push-out discipline practices with solutions that work for all students.

Restorative Justice in Schools Act (HR 3401) is federal legislation authored by Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09) to cut short the “School-to-Prison Pipeline” and reduce youth incarceration in America through support for restorative justice programs and teacher training in public schools. As an alternative to suspension, restorative justice brings the student who committed an infraction together with the victim(s) to repair harm through cooperative process, mutual understanding, and accountability.

California Senate Bill 504 (Lara)—Starting Over Strong: Help Youth Who Have Made Mistakes Move Forward is a bill that would make it free to seal juvenile records in California, so that young people will be Starting Over Strong when they turn 18 and apply for jobs, school, housing, and other opportunities.

 

ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES 

My Brother’s Keeper is a White House initiative dedicated to addressing persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color and ensuring that all young people can reach their full potential through mentoring, support networks, and employment or educational opportunities.

Alliance for Education Justice is a national collective of intergenerational and youth-led advocacy groups that work with local and federal policymakers to transform public education into a system that equally prepares all students – regardless of race or socioeconomic status – for college, meaningful employment, and full participation in democracy.

Campaign for Youth Justice is a national initiative focused entirely on ending the practice of prosecuting, sentencing, and incarcerating youth under the age of 18 in the adult criminal justice system.

East Palo Alto Youth Court is a peer court alternative to juvenile courts that partners with local schools using restorative justice philosophy to address misbehavior, conflict, and offenses, while keeping students in school.

Youth United for Community Action provides a safe space in East Palo Alto where young people of color empower themselves and work on environmental and social justice issues to establish positive systemic change through grassroots community organizing.

Mural Music & Arts Project is a safe platform for creative expression, connecting disadvantaged youth with consistent, encouraging mentors through art programs emphasizing community development and academic achievement.

Counseling and Support Services for Youth is a Silicon Valley nonprofit agency that partners with local schools to support students’ social and emotional well-being through crisis intervention, ongoing counseling, and proactive mental health education.

 

ORGANIZATIONS AT STANFORD

Stanford Workshop on Poverty, Inequality, and Education

Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education (SCOPE)

Stanford Equality of Opportunity and Education

Stanford Youth and Education Law Project

Stanford Center for Social Psychological Answers to Real-World Questions (SPARQ)

 

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) is a non-profit founded by Stanford Law School alumna Christa Gannon that is dedicated to breaking the cycle of violence, crime and incarceration of teens. Through FLY’s combination of programs – legal education, leadership training, and one-on-one mentoring – youth get off probation, engaged in school, and back on track with their lives.