The School to Prison Pipeline

In America, due to its history of slavery, African Americans do not have the same equal status as their white counterparts, therefore making them a minority. This minority status is generally low and, as a result, African Americans often face racial stereotypes and discrimination. In recent events, with police brutality against African Americans, racial relations between Whites and Blacks have been tense which has generated discussion. The power of racial implicit bias has even affected our education system by “beefing up” police presence in school and enforcing zero tolerance policies that give harsh punishment for infractions.

 

As a result of this “crackdown,” students of color, especially African American males are punished the most. Black students are 3x more likely to be suspended/expelled than white students, some suspensions beginning as early as pre-k. This pattern is also reflected in our criminal justice system as 1 in 3 black males will be imprisoned, making this demography 40% of the US prison population. These same inmates are most likely the same ones that were reprimanded continuously through their pre-k to 12th grade school years.