Black Legal Action Centre launches School-to-Prison Pipeline Project to advocate for policy reform

BY PAUL JUNOR

The launch of the School-to-Prison Pipeline research seeks to get to the roots of this systemic problem that impacts BIPOC youths across Canada. It was funded by the Canadian Heritage and will be run by the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC). The BLAC is a non-profit organization, which provides free legal, services to low and no income black Ontarians (blacklegalactioncentre.ca).

There is a geographical focus to this research project, which according to the non-profit organization School-to-Prison Pipeline Canada – is important to make it contextual.

According to this organization’s Instagram, “The School-to-Prison pipeline is the process where students are funnelled out of schools and into the criminal justice system. This is carried out through disciplinary policies where students are placed in direct contact with law enforcement officers for committing certain offences at school.”

As school boards across Ontario take steps to address systemic racism, particularly anti-black racism and seek to pursue policies that are inclusive, fair and equitable, it is important to obtain relevant data. With respect to suspensions and expulsions data that school boards such as the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Peel District School  Board(PDSB) have collected, they show a pattern.

School-to-Prison Pipeline Canada reveals that suspensions and expulsions lead to:

• Reduced opportunities to learn
• Grade repetition and poor academic performance
• Disengagement and negative school climate
• Low graduation rates/ higher dropout rates

Data showed that when black students are involved with justice system they tend to:

• Not be offered diversion
• Receive unfair sanctions/probation conditions
• Encounter the system multiple times due to  lack of supports

It was revealed that exclusionary disciplinary practices lead students to;

• Experience feelings of alienation, isolation, stigma and feelings of being labeled as ‘deviant’
• Engage in more risky behaviours
• Feeling criminalized/targeted by law enforcement

Reports revealed that, “With time taken away from school and from being positively engaged with their peers and teachers, this creates a huge burden on black student’s experience, and makes it more difficult for them to move away from a negative path to a positive one.”

There will be eight regions that will be the focus of the research. There will be the involvement of youth/young adults, parents, families and caregivers. Themes of intersectionality will be directed to; justice, education, mental health, child welfare, 2SLGBTQ+ and Francophone speaking community.

This research project is truly needed because it will obtain vital information to advocate for meaningful change and policy reform within our justice and educational systems. If implemented correctly, this project will certainly lead to positive outcomes for black youth’s future and dreams.