By Susan KrumholzPresident, UMass Faculty FederationI am writing this month about something that may not directly concern the union, but is vitally important to the future of our students (and also my field of study). Two bills before the Massachusetts legislature, Senate bill S.842 - "An Act decriminalizing non-violent and verbal student misconduct" - and Senate bill S.297 - "An Act further defining the role of school resource officers" - both sponsored by Senator Pat Jehlen, could begin that process. It is time to reduce the number of students whose educational experience is brought to a rapid halt by the criminal/legal system, and supporting these bills will at least move us in the right direction.We have all heard about the school-to-prison pipeline, an accurate description of policies and practices that move children from school into the criminal/legal system. This has been a growing social problem for at least the past decade, fueled by inadequate funding and resources for our public schools, "zero-tolerance" policies, and the rising reliance on school resource officers for in-school discipline. The brunt of these actions is disproportionately felt by students of color and students with disabilities. But they clearly affect us all.<the social="" costs="" of="" suspending="" expelling="" or="" arresting="" large="" numbers="" students="" for="" minor="" offenses="" especially="" those="" who="" are="" most="" in="" need="" the="" support="" and="" structure="" offered="" by="" school="" is="" profound.="" we="" will="" pay="" as="" lose="" contributions="" to="" society="" these="" might="" make="" if="" allowed="" continue="" their="" education="" again="" when="" allocate="" increasing="" dollars="" that="" could="" go="" jails="" prisons.="" us="" higher="" profound="" absence="" men="" color="" our="" classrooms="" but="" one="" cost.="" according="" journal="" blacks="" percent="" non-hispanic="" white="" population="" over="" age="" holds="" a="" college="" degree="" compared="" adult="" blacks.="" imbalance="" more="" significant="" factor="" gender.reductions="" financial="" personnel="" public="" schools="" often="" exacerbated="" transfer="" funds="" private="" charter="" lead="" overcrowded="" fewer="" staff="" such="" librarians="" guidance="" counselors.="" easiest="" way="" respond="" added="" stress="" on="" teachers="" was="" institute="" policies--punishment="" suspension="" expulsion="" would="" result="" from="" even="" ordinary="" rule="" violation="" regardless="" extenuating="" circumstances.="" enforcement="" no="" longer="" an="" administrative="" add-on="" became="" full="" time="" job.="" introduction="" police="" officers="" dates="" back="" late="" there="" talk="" youth="" though="" this="" notion="" abandoned="" movement="" toward="" only="" heightened="" publicity="" surrounding="" shootings="" decade="" later.="" i="" high="" assistant="" principal="" dealt="" with="" discipline="" issues="" know="" first="" hand="" you="" got="" trouble="" likely="" had="" stay="" after="" school.="" rare="" occasions="" someone="" suspended="" day.="" now="" teacher="" has="" problem="" they="" call="" sro.="" sro="" doing="" what="" s="" trained="" do="" arrests="" student.="" study="" few="" years="" ago="" districts="" texas="" it="" found="" out="" student="" involved="" violence="" weapon="" fists="" stories="" abound="" about="" special="" needs="" black="" latino="" being="" arrested="" incidents="" began="" asking="" them="" be="" quiet="" sit="" still.="" not="" expelled="" studies="" find="" likelihood="" coming="" into="" contact="" juvenile="" legal="" system="" within="" year="" three="" times="" great.="" research="" new="" york="" african-american="" were="" twice="" hispanic="" students.="" disparity="" increased="" security.="" how="" proposed="" legislation="" address="" problems="" senate="" bill="" s.842="" takes="" step="" towards="" limiting="" criminal="" charges="" can="" brought="" against="" excluding="" prosecution="" disturbing="" assembly="" disorderly="" conduct="" peace="" occurs="" buildings="" grounds="" course="" school-related="" events.="" reduce="" considerably.="" s.297="" proscribes="" skills="" should="" have="" including="" training="" de-escalation="" conflict="" resolution="" requires="" mou="" between="" local="" department="" superintendent.recent="" suggest="" at="" least="" some="" concerns="" regarding="" sros="" stem="" lack="" role="" clarity.="" also="" contains="" oversight="" requirement="" improve="" ability="" track="" made="" schools.="" conjunction="" bills="" progress="" halting="" school-to-prison="" pipeline="" massachusetts.with="" all="" mind="" like="" pitch="" restorative="" practices="" center="" justice="" suffolk="" university="" been="" used="" successfully="" management="" collaborative="" pedagogy="" emotional="" awareness="" literacy="" building="" positive="" climate="" alternate="" more.="" anyone="" still="" wonders="" whether="" alter="" environment="" numerous="" examples="" philadelphia="" oakland="" san="" francisco="" right="" here="" charlestown="" massachusetts.these="" shown="" healthy="" respectful="" relationships="" among="" educators="" involving="" lives.=""></the>
