Education

National Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC)

The Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC) is a national coalition of youth, parents, advocates and educators united to challenge the systemic problem of pushout in our nation's schools and to advocate for human rights-based approaches to school climate and discipline. As a Core Group member, NESRI works with the DSC to organize national advocacy campaigns and actions, and to share strategies and best practices through conferences, webinars and the Campaign's on-line resource database.

School Pushout Story Bank and National Resolution

NESRI participates in national actions with the DSC to raise awareness of the pushout crisis in our nation’s schools and advocate for positive solutions that guarantee the human right of every student to a quality education and to be treated with dignity.

Story Bank – From October 11-17, 2010, the DSC held the first National Week of Action on School Pushout, organizing actions and events in 15 cities and launching an on-line Pushout Story Bank to collect video testimonies from students, parents and educators about pushout and positive solutions. Watch videos and learn how to submit your own story.

National Resolution – The DSC National Resolution for Ending School Pushout is a call to action signed by over 250 organizations and indivduals from all 50 states. DSC members continue to present the Resolution to school boards, state legislators and federal policy-makers. Sign the letter here.

Federal and State Advocacy

NESRI participates in Working Groups and projects of the DSC aimed at creating state and federal policy change to reverse zero-tolerance discipline and promote positive approaches to school climate.

Alternatives to Zero-Tolerance Working Group – The DSC advocates for state and federal policy change to create funding and accountability for schools to implement positive alternatives to zero-tolerance discipline that meet human rights criteria. The DSC is currently working to incorporate accountability for school climate and discipline into federal reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, aka No Child Left Behind).

Model Discipline Code – The DSC is coordinating a project to develop a Model School Code that applies human rights standards to U.S. public schools. The DSC and American Bar Association Children's Rights Litigation Committee co-sponsored a national summit and roundtable dialogue to develop and review the code, which is being finalized for release in 2011.

National Networking

NESRI helps coordinate networking opportunities for DSC members to share strategies and best practices.

DSC Website – The website includes a database of resources on human rights, school pushout and positive alternatives, as well as links to Know Your Rights materials and other resources tailored for youth, parents and educators in order to build alliances for combating pushout.

Tele-Conference Call Series – The DSC organizes national tele-conference calls and webinars to engage multiple stakeholders from around the country in discussion and debate about pushout and to develop strategies for working together.

National Conference – On June 5 and 6, 2009, the DSC organized its first national conference in Chicago attended by 150 advocates, organizers, youth, parents and educators from 20 states around the country. Watch videos and access materials from the conference.

International Mechanisms

NESRI works with the DSC to engage international human rights mechanisms as a tool for bringing attention to the pushout crisis in the U.S. and holding policy-makers accountable for human rights obligations. NESRI has prepared shadow reports for treaty-monitoring bodies and submissions to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education. In November 2008, several DSC members provided testimony at the UN Forum on Minorities in Education in Geneva, Switzerland. Read the testimony from CADRE, NESRI’s partner organization.