Education

In New York City, less than 60% of high school students graduate in four years, and only 28% of Black male students and 25% of students with disabilities, graduate on time. Key factors contributing to this educational crisis are the negative school climates and harsh disciplinary practices, such as suspensions and police interventions, that alienate students and deny access to education. Research has shown that punitive, zero-tolerance discipline practices increase the likelihood that students will fall behind academically and even drop out of school. NESRI works in coalition with students, educators and advocates to change citywide policies to reduce suspensions and guarantee students' human rights to education and to be treated with dignity.

Dignity in Schools Campaign-New York (DSC-NY)

The New York Chapter of the Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC-NY) is a citywide coalition of students, parents, advocates, educators and lawyers calling for positive, school-wide approaches to discipline that improve the school environment, reduce conflict, and increase learning. DSC-NY develops policy recommendations and organizes testimony before the Department of Education to change New York City's school discipline policies, and holds workshops and teach-ins to engage students, parents and educators in our work. We work to reduce suspensions and other harsh policies that violate students' human right to education and to be treated with dignity. Students, parents and educators have a right to participate in decision-making related to discipline policies in schools.

Read our Platform for Positive School Discipline in New York City Schools

Read our Fact Sheet on NYC School Discipline Statistics

Teachers Unite for Student Safety

Teachers Unite is a grassroots organization that mobilizes teachers to work with community-based organizations to improve education.  In 2008, NESRI worked with Teachers Unite to document teacher views about how to make schools safe, improve learning environments and reduce the criminalization of students. Our collaborative report, Teachers Talk: School Climate, Safety and Human Rights, is based on surveys of more than 300 New York City public school teachers from 136 middle and high schools. It shows that teachers support a holistic, human rights-based approach to discipline that uses preventive and constructive strategies to create positive school cultures, teach behavior skills and use conflict resolution.  

Most recently, from July 16-18, 2012, Teachers Unite held a three-day training workshop titled "Breaking the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Bringing Restorative Justice to Our Schools." 

Stop Student Suspensions! Blog

DSC-NY has also launched its first blog. Read more about the campaign's recent happenings at Stop Student Suspensions.

Resources

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