School To Prison Pipeline Research

The intent of this argumentative research paper, is to take a close look at school systems disciplinary policies and the effect they have on students. While most school systems in the nation have adapted the zero tolerance policies, there is major concerns that specific students could be targeted, and introduced in the criminal justice system based on these disciplinary policies. This research paper is intended to focus on the reform of zero tolerance policies, and minimizing the school to prison pipeline.

School to Prison Pipeline
The school to prison pipeline, is a term used to describe the alarmingly increasing number of students having contact with the juvenile criminal court systems, because of the implemented zero tolerance policies
Students from low income families and nonwhite students are essentially targeted more for minor offenses than white students. A case study done by J. Wald, author of Defining and Redirecting a School To Prison Pipeline, shows that vast inequalities our school systems are facing. The article discusses how high-poverty and high-minority schools are given fewer resources, less qualifies teachers, and fewer advanced-level courses than white peers. Wald explains the inequality to the outcome of minority students being held back in school and fewer minority students not obtaining a high school diplomas. Often students who do not have financial means such as the high-poverty students, are not able to purchased supplies needed to complete school work outside of the classroom This can make doing homework difficult and often ending in not completing the work. This ultimately gets the student behind and can even cause them to be punished in school. Teachers will often place students in detention for not completing work, when sometimes the children don’t have support from they essentially need. Maybe sometimes teachers mistakenly overlook this lack of parental support. I think that is why is it so important to have continued parent-teacher involvement throughout the school year. This will allow more discussion between the teacher, students, and parents to
School institutions simply cannot tolerate misbehavior by students. It is the school’s responsibility to maintain a safe, and controlled learning environment for everyone within the school institutions. Students truly cannot learn and teachers cannot teach amongst disruption and chaos. This is no controversy. So, to try and achieve this goal, schools have adapted and fiercely implemented the zero tolerance policies. Schools feel these policies have made them more effective in handing disciplinary issues. It mandates a consistency of discipline for certain offenses. Parents feel the zero tolerance policies ensures the safety of their children while at school. Others feel removing the disruptive students altogether, creates a better learning environment for behaved students. But it is important to remember the zero tolerance polices do not distinguish between major and minor offenses. While school systems feel, this sends clarifying message to students, it could be sending the wrong message, ultimately forcing children into the prison