Indiana Advisory Committee to the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights Releases Report: "Civil Rights and the School-to-Prison Pipeline in Indiana"

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Indiana Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights released a report following a series of panel discussions on school discipline policies and practices in the state. The Committee's purpose was to examine the civil rights impact of school discipline and juvenile justice policies, which may lead to high rates of juvenile incarceration—particularly among youth of color, boys, and students with disabilities—in what has become known as the "school-to-prison pipeline." The Committee heard testimony from academic experts and education professionals; community advocates; juvenile corrections officials; and individual students and families directly impacted.

Through this testimony, the Committee identified a number of concerns regarding the role of intersecting biases in implementing disciplinary measures in schools; the adverse impact of poverty on students' academic success, which disproportionately affects children of color; and exclusionary disciplinary policies and practices that may exacerbate disengagement, particularly among youth of color and youth with disabilities. The Committee identified a number of recommendations for the Commission's consideration, which may help to remedy some of these concerns moving forward.

Committee Chair Diane Clements-Boyd said, "This report is a substantive analysis of a complex phenomenon affecting the educational outcomes of Hoosier children. The report on Civil Rights and the School-to-Prison Pipeline in Indiana chronicles how school disciplinary policies and practices leads to low educational attainment and the funneling of Indiana's most vulnerable students into the criminal justice system. The report also provides comprehensive recommendations and best practices from leading researchers, educators and community advocates, in hopes of keeping children in quality learning environments and consequently preventing the criminalization of children."

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is an independent, bipartisan agency charged with studying and advising the President and Congress on civil rights matters and issuing an annual federal civil rights enforcement report. The Commission, by Congressional mandate, establishes Advisory Committees in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Advisory Committee members conduct reviews and produce reports and recommendations concerning local civil rights issues. Appointees to the Committees serve four-year terms and are unremunerated. For information about the work of the Commission and its Committees, visit http://www.usccr.gov and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/usccrgov.

Media contact: Melissa Wojnaroski
(312) 353-8311
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SOURCE U.S. Commission on Civil Rights