Increasingly, minorities are finding themselves involved in the juvenile justice system as a result of school-related conduct. Not surprisingly, harsh school discipline policies and practices have an impact on students of color, poor students, and students with disabilities.

African American students are more likely then white students to be suspended for behavioral offenses. Schools policies criminalize the behavior of minority students and give white kids a slap on the wrist for doing the same thing in private suburban schools. School administrators and officials kick them out of schools and treat them like criminals instead of misbehaving teenagers.

In return, African American youth are at a higher risk of poor educational outcomes because for so long they have been included in physically and emotionally unsafe environments. The public school system has given up on their education. Instead of giving them a curriculum that engages and challenges them with positive support. Due to the negative support given to those of color it has lead students to engage in negative behaviors, disengage from school, and dropout.

For example, in South Carolina, a police officer was brought in to handle a student’s use of a cell phone in class and threw her out of her chair, a punishment that did not fit the crime. Something so small did not have to go that far and include such an horrible treatment from a police officer. Teachers need to start disciplining the kids accordingly Would you call the police if your child use their phone when they were not suppose to?

Once students are on the radar of school leaders and law enforcement officials, they are less likely to be presumed innocent in society. They may also be less motivated to stay out of trouble. Especially if they feel like their transcripts and school records have diminished their college and career goals.

Unfortunately we live in a country where the priority is not to keep kids in school but to keep them in Jail.