Report: Deprived of Dignity
Degrading Treatment and Abusive discipline in
New York City And Los Angeles Public Schools

A report by NESRI shows that middle and high school students in New York City and Los Angeles are frequently ignored and mistreated in their classrooms, and subjected to harsh discipline policies that punish, exclude and criminalize them. 

Report: Deprived of Dignity - PDF
Executive Summary - PDF

Press Release - New York City and Los Angeles
Press Conference Statement

The report uses a human rights framework to document the use of suspensions, law enforcement and other punitive disciplinary strategies that ignore students’ educational and emotional needs.  Schools with the most repressive policies are overwhelmingly under-resourced, overcrowded and primarily attended by low-income students of color.

The report calls on the Department of Education in NYC and the Los Angeles Unified School District to take a holistic approach to school climate and safety by reducing overcrowding, increasing resources for teachers, and guaranteeing the participation of students and parents. Schools should view discipline and the teaching of behavioral skills as an essential part of education and prioritize counseling and mediation. The criminalization of discipline and use of police in schools must stop.

News:

"Report Flunks Kids + Cops,”, New America Media, April 10, 2007

LAUSD discipline policy is first step toward positive change, Learning Power News, March 30, 2007

The LAUSD Board adopted a new discipline policy on February 27 aimed at reducing suspensions through “positive behavior support.”  CADRE, a grassroots parent organization in South LA, organized support in Los Angeles and around the country to help pass this new policy, which represents a positive step toward changing the harsh suspensions that students now face.   

Reports criticize school safety measures, Insideschools.org, March 27, 2007

WBAI Evening News, March 21, 2007- Listen

Gotbaum Calls on DOE To Do More To Protect Children From Abuse, NY 1 News, March 21, 2007

Denuncian excesiva disciplina, El Diaro, March 22, 2007

N.Y., L.A. schools security hell, report says, National Post, Canada, March 22, 2007

Also see:

"Criminalizing the Classroom: The Over-Policing of New York City Schools", ACLU and NYCLU, March 2007

"Reframing School Discipline through Human Rights Standards", Children's Rights Newsletter, ABA, Winter 2007

"L.A. Board of Education adopts discipline policy aimed at reducing suspensions," LA Times, February 27, 2007

"A new policy to keep students in line. L.A. district considers adopting uniform guidelines for meting out discipline. The emphasis is on 'positive behavior support," LA Times, February 12, 2007

NESRI Testimony to the Dept. of Education on NYC School Discipline Code, August 2006