TheEntrapment,Enslavement,andMassIncarcerationofAfricanAmericanStudents:The

SchooltoPrisonPipeline
ThomasCerjaIV
FirstColonialHighSchool
LegalStudiesAcademy

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

Abstract
TheresearchpaperwilldelveintotheracismanddiscriminationbehindtheAmericanschool

system.Itwillanalyzehowschooldisciplinepoliciesareabletodrawfromthedepthsofanti

blacknesstodrawtheircanonsagainstblackstudents.Thecriminalizationofblackcultureisnot

onlyexposed,butmadeapparentevenforoneswhochoosetowearthecloakofwhiteignorance.

Thecheckofgovernmentalpromisesforprotectionofblackstudentsnotonlybouncesbut

destroysthefabricoffaithintheUnitedStates.

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

EntrapmentandMassIncarcerationofStudents:TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

PresidentBarackObamahighlightedtheproblemofmassincarcerationpointing

outthatwhiletheUnitedStateshasonly4%oftheworldspopulation,itcontainsover22%of

theworldsprisonpopulation.Whiletheissuewashighlightedthecauseswerenot.TheSchool

toPrisonPipelineisnowaknownfactortofeedintotheentrapmentofAmericancitizensintoan

endlesscycleofimprisonment;acyclethatcanonlyendwithdeathoracceptanceofthe

predicamentbehindbars.Whilemanystudentscanridethetrainofwhiteprivilegethroughlife

;manystudentsaretaskedwithfindingtheabilitytooperatesuccessfullyinasystemthatis

perpetuallylacedwithantiblackness(Wilderson2010).In2012,outof49millionstudents,over

6millionwereeithersuspendedinschool,suspendedoutofschool,orexpelled(U.SDepartment

ofEducation).OfthesedisciplinedstudentsmanyareBlackstudents.AfricanAmericanstudents

arenotonlysuspendedataratethreetimeshigherthantheirwhitecounterparts.Blackstudents

onlyrepresent16%ofenrollmentyettheyrepresent32%ofthesuspensionsacrosstheUnited

States.(U.SDepartmentofEducationOfficeofCivilRights20112012)Withthesenumbersthe

conclusionbecomestheUnitedStatesschoolsystemiscontentwithimprisoningtheirstudents

(suspendingthem)inmassivenumbers,andthatthedisciplinarystandardofschoolsnotonly

targets,buttrapsandpullsdownAfricanAmericanstudents.

CausesofIncreasedSuspensionSchools
 Since1970outofschoolsuspensionsofstudentshasdoubled(PolicyInstitute2015).

SeeingtheenslavementofAfricanAmericanstudentsisonething,butexpertshavebeen

challengedwithanalyzingthedifferentvariablesthatcausetheentrapmentofAfricanAmerican

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

students.NancyHankswasonceaprincipalofaverytoughinnercity(thepoliticallycorrect

wayofsayingpredominantlyAfricanAmerican)Chicagohighschool.Shedidntunderstandthe

impactsofexpellingastudentuntilshemetoneofherownexpelledstudentsinanelevator,and

Hadmydecisionhelpedsethimonapathtowardfailure?(WashingtonPost)NancyHanks

wasseeingforthefirsttimetheshacklessheputonthestudentbylimitinghiseducationandthe

whipshecrackedonhisbackbybreakingdownhischanceofsuccess.However,Mrs.Hanksis

caughtherself;sheisintertwinedinasystemthatissubconsciouslyenslavingAfricanAmerican

students.Theshackleswereoncesteel;theshacklesarenowalackofeducation.Thepathto

freedomwasoncetoruntothenorth,itisnowfleeingtocollege.Slavecatcherswereonce

officerswithrope,nowslavecatchersembodymultipleforms:studentdebt,inschool

suspension,policebrutality,lackoffunding,anywallpaintedwhitethatblackstudentshaveto

plowthroughtobesuccessful.

Economics

PoorlyFundedNeighborhoods

Behindthefirstwhitewallisapileofmoney.Standinginfrontofthewallareblackstudents,

manyareapartoffamiliesandneighborhoodsthatlacktherootofallevil,dollarbills.Students

growingupinimpoverishsituationsareforcedtobecomplacentwithpoverty.Ifyoucolorcode

thedistrictsbasedontheirracialcompositionyouseethisverystarkbreakdown.Atanygiven
povertylevel,districtsthathaveahigherproportionofwhitestudentsgetsubstantiallyhigher

fundingthandistrictsthathavemoreminoritystudents.(DavidMosenkisascitedinAtlantic)

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

With65%ofgovernmentpoliticians,localtofederallevel,beingwhitemales,andonly10%

beingminorities,iteasytounderstandwhythedollarsarebeingpouredintowhitestudents

(Axelrad2014).Althoughmanycanwearthecloakofwhiteignoranceandignorethe

implicationsofthislackoffunding;blackstudentsareforcedtocopeinaneighborhoodthatisin

themostliteralsenseaHungerGamesarena.Withnoimaginablewayoutonemustfightother

districts(gangs)togarnerresources.Theseresourcesformanyblackstudentsareillegaldrugs.

Withouttheirfathers(becausethefathershavebeenenslavedorkilled),withoutfundingfor

legaljobsintheirarea,withoutfundingforsafeareastoraiseafamily,withoutfundingintotheir

schoolseducationisnolongeratool,andthelifeofcrimebecomesveryappealing.(White2015)

Forblackstudentsthatcausesthemtoseetheschoolasawasteoftimeandnotaplacetoreceive

aneducation,becausetheschoolisnotfundedtoeducateblackstudents,andinsteadthey

perceiveitasanotherenvironmenttoactonthecriminalurgesthatarebeingimplantedintotheir

minds.Whentheyseenowayoutofthearenablackstudentsacthowsocietywantsthemto.

Teachersseemisbehavioranddowhattheythinkisrightsuspendingstudentsfromtheir

classroom;theybelievemisbehavioriscontrolledbythestudent.However,takingaglanceata

typicalenvironmentofablackstudentisasufficientexplanationastowhytheymisbehavein

theclassroom,andhowthelackoffundingandcrimeintheirneighborhoodsleadstothem

beingsuspendedinschool.

PoorlyFundedSchoolscorrelatewithdisciplinaryproblems
TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

Withschoolslackingfundingtheycannotinvestintheirstudents.Therefore,theydonthave

alternativedisciplinemethods.Thislackofresourcesalsocausesteacherstosuspendstudents

fasterduetofrustration,sotheyhavemorematerials,andsimplylackofcare.

OneofthemostproblematiccoreissueswithUnitedStatesschoolsanddisciplineisthatschools

lacktheagencytoinvestintheirstudents.ThoseSchools,schoolsthatcompriseofamajority

blackstudentsandstudentsofpoverty,areconsistentlyacrosstheboard,plaguedwith

underfunding.Thereonlyfourstates(Minnesota,Massachusetts,NewJersey,andDelaware)that

haveequitablefundingacrossschooldistrictsintheUnitedStates.Otherstatesfollowthesame

narrativeeitherinvestingmoreinwealthierdistricts,ornotinvestingmoretoequalizespending

andaddresstheneedsofstudentsinpoorerneighborhooddistricts.(IsSchoolFundingFair,A

NationalReportCardascitedintheAtlantic)Whenaschoolisbeingdrainedofmoneythey

lacktheagencytoestablishalternativedisciplinemethodsthatArneDuncan,theSecretaryof

Education,insistsoncreating.(DepartmentofEducation)Whenpredominantlyblackschoolsare

taskedwithfindingalternativeroutestodisciplinestudentstheysimplycannotbecause

congressionaldollarssailintowhiteschooldistricts.Insteadofpreventingtheschooltoprison

pipeline,legislatorshavechosentostrengthenthepowerofwhiteprivilegeinourschool

systems.

Race
Americansocietydrivesarhetoricthatisabletomanipulatethemindsofmany.American

societygivesstereotypesthepowerofpredestination.WhitepeopleinAmericahavepraised

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

worksthatportrayAfricandeath,failure,andhaveacceptedthecriminalizationofblacks.Take

oneofthemostfamousmoviestheBirthofaNationthatwastheignitorfortheflaminghatred

oftheKuKluxKlan,yethailedbywhitesasahistoricalmasterpiece.(Wilderson2010)When

societyseesblackcitizenstheybelievethattheyarethesameastheyareportrayedonscreens:

thugs,gangbangers,angryblackwomen,andpoorpeoplethatwillsnatchtheirbelongings.(Race

Relations2016)Thesehavelastingrealworldimplicationsthatwillchangethedailylifeofall

citizens.Whitewomenwillholdtheirpursesclose,whileblackwomenholdtheirsonscloseras

yetanotherbrotherisdeadinthestreet.However,whilestereotypesmostlyimpactblack

studentsoutsideoftheclassroommostcertainlyarepulledintotheclassroom.Teacherslock

theirpursesbehindlockeddoors,andthesecurityextensionmemorized.Societieswithin

schoolsisinturnstructuredlikewhiteamerica,builttoguideblackstudentsintoasleep,and

wakethemintoanightmareofconsciousness.Duetothefactthatblackstudentsareportrayed

ascriminals,thugs,etc.Thenteachersproceedtocriminalizeblackstudents.Theyhidebehind

legislationandignoretheinherentproblemsofthelashingstheystriketheirblackstudents.No

ChildLeftBehind,yetblackstudentsarebehindbythefourthgrade.Stereotypesaremaskedby

falsebutbelievablepropagandaandwellplacednewsstoriesthatcriminalizetheblackrace.

Blackstudentsfacethisintheclassroombybeinglookedatasnegativeindividualsthatareapart

ofaviolentrace.Whentheidentityoftheblackstudentsarestrippedfromthemteachershaveno

problemisolatingthemthroughsuspension,notworkingwiththemthroughrelationship
building,failtoattemptatunderstandingtheirculture,andchokingthemwithawhitepower

leashanddraggingthembarleyofabovewatersotheteachermeetstheirquotasandtheblack

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

studentshavetokeeptheireyesopenchokingonstruggleatthemercyoftheirmaster(teacher).

(KirwanInstitute2015)

Racehasaroleinsuspensionsastheyarepunisheddisportionately

Schoolsuspensionsarenotcolorblind.Althoughblackstudentsaccountforonly16%ofstudent

enrollmentintheUnitedStatestheycompriseover32%ofthesuspendedpopulation.Thisisa

starkcontrastcomparedtotheirwhitecounterpartswhorepresent51%ofenrollment,yetthey

onlyrepresent41%ofthesuspendedpopulation.(U.SDepartmentofEducationOfficeofCivil

Rights)Unlessonechoosestowearthecloakofwhiteignorance,onecannotdenythatblack

studentsarebeingpunisheddisproportionately.Manyteacherswillclaimtheydonotseecolor.

Thattheyliveinaworldwheretheycannotseerace.Notonlyisitscientificallyimpossibleto

notseecolorunlessyouareblind(StevenDowshen,MD),butthatrhetoricalsodehumanizes

andstripstheskinoffofstudentsculture.Notonlyiswhiteprivilegeringingfromthevoiceofa

teacherwhosaysthisbuttosayyoucannotseecolormeansinthemostliteralsenseyoucannot

seethestudentforwhotheyare.Thisconceptofimaginationisignorantinthesensethat

teachersarewillingtoignorethemultipleformsofoppressionthatweighontheirbacksbecause

theycannotseecolor.(KirwanInstitute)Thatrhetoricisalsoprovenfalseinthesensethat

teacherscannotclaimtheyarenotracistordonothaveimplicitbiasbecausetheyaresuspending
blackstudentsatratethreetimesfasterthanwhitestudents.Simplyput,thereisnodenyingthe

roleofraceinsuspension,whiteprivilegesstrengthiswidespread,andseepsintoour

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

classroomsgrantingimmunitytomanywhitestudents,whileblackstudentsarebeinglynchedto

thetreesofwhitebias,discipline,anddiscrimination.

Teachers

Teachersdiscriminatingdisciplinepolicies

Teacherstendtoadaptthezerotolerancepolicy.Thisconceptofzerotolerancecamefromthe

90seraoftoughschooldiscipline.Teachersenforcethispolicythroughswiftandharsh

punishmentagainstastudentthatcommitsanyinfraction.Theyresorttothewhipsthatcrackthe

loudest,pullingfromatoolbeltofdisciplinesthataremeanttocripplethestudent,insteadof

rehabilitation.Teachersrelyonsuspensions,expulsions,andschoolresourceofficers,ratherthan

usingtheirrelationshipwiththestudenttoaddresstheissueandmaintainapositiveenvironment

intheclassroom(Abdullah2014).However,theDepartmentofJusticeandEducationcameto

theconclusionthatteachersaremakingexceptionstothezerotolerancepolicy.Teachersinfact

areseeingcolorbecausetheyaremorelenienttowardswhitestudents.Theyusetheirhandsto

nurturewhitestudents,andbuildstrongconnectionsandrelationships.Whileblackstudentsare

notgrantedwiththatprivilegewhatsoever(DepartmentofJusticeandEducationascitedin

Abdullah2014).Theworkingphaseisanevermostvaluableprivilegetowhitestudents.Whena

whitestudentisinneedofdisciplinetheresponsefromtheteachersfollowthesamenarrative;
theydonotpunishthestudent.Instead,theythreatendisciplinebut,givethewhitestudenta

secondchancetocurvetheirbehavior.Forblackstudentsthisprivilegeislostintheabyssof

racism,discrimination,andhatred.Secondchancesareaprivilegethattheirskincolorhas

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

determinedtheycannothave.Theguiltyandinnocentareinnocentuntilprovenguilty,unless,

you'reablackstudentinanAmericanclassroom.Iftheyfallofthetightropeofwhite

expectations,aropethatisintertwinedwiththethreadsofracism,discrimination,and

marginalization,thenthoseblackstudentsareguiltyandfailtoreceivetheleancytheirwhite

counterpartsreceive(Rudd2013)

Teachersfearminoritymalestudents

TheantiblackrhetoricthatplaysovertheradiowavesofwhiteAmericahasbeenastapleof

Americanculturesincetheconceptionofthemiddlepassage.Tojustifytheinjusticesofwhite

Americans,thewhitesuperpowersinjectedtheAmericasbloodstreamwithhatredandchanged

thelensesofAmericasglassestoseeminoritiesassavages.Theypreyeduponthereputationof

blackmenstrikingtheircharacter.Whitesuperpowersmanipulatedthemindsofcitizens;making

citizensbelievethatblackmenarebeaststhatarerapists,murderers,andignorant.Thisnarrative

isnowonethathasbeatthetestoftime.Infact,fathertimehasdefeatedeverysubjectbefore

him,exceptantiblacknessinAmerica(Wilderson2010).Teachersinthepresentaresubjectto

thosesimilarnarrativesandperceivetheblackmenasviolentanddangerous.Theyfeelthisneed

forasafespace,andtheirclassroomisonlyperceivedassafewhenblackmalesareabsent

fromtheclassroom.Theydeportthestudentsfromtheirclassroomsusingtheirtoolbeltofanti

blackdiscipline;teachersutilizesuspensions,detentions,andexpulsions(Jackson2014).
TeachersLackofknowledgeofeffectivediscipline

TheAmericanschoolsystemhasrefusedtoequipteacherswitheffectivemethodsofdiscipline

andinsteadhasarmedthemwiththemethodsthathurtthestudentsinsteadofhelpingthem.The

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

conceptofthedisciplineisstructuredtotargetminoritiesandaidsinhelpingteacherscarry

throughwiththeirdiscriminatoryactions.However,intherarescenariothatateacher,principal,

orschoolattemptstoactingoodfaiththeyarenotgiventheresourcesforanalternativeformof

discipline.Schoolshavebeenstrippedoftheabilitytoassistminoritystudents.Instead,theonly

resourcestheyhavebeengivenareonesmeanttoincarcerateblackstudents,andplaceaceiling

ontheirpotential.Teachersrelyonantiblackformsofdisciplinetomaintainthesystemofwhite

orderintheschools(PerezJr.2015)

TeacherStudentrelationsarepoor

Withwhiteteachersbeingthemajorityoftheteachingpopulationitishardtoignoretheracial

separationinschool.Blackstudentsareforcedtoconnectwithateacherthatdoesn'tlooklike

them,mostlikelydiffersinculturefromthem,andisimplicitlybiastowardsthem(Deruy).

Althoughthereexistssuperficialandineffectivemeasurestoeasetheconsequencesofanti

blacknessinAmerica,theracialdividehasbecomemoreapparentandracerelationsaresteadily

becomingworse.Blackstudentsareforcedtoexistinanenvironmentthattheyaretoldisa

shieldfromtheracismoftheoutsideworld,butyetisjustanotherlocationfortheirpotential

enslavement.Whiteteachersarefailingtomendtheracialdivideintheirclassroomsandinstead

arestrengtheningthedivide,andthegripsofracisminthemindsofAmericancitizens.

Teacherslackofactiontoreversetheirsystemofdiscipline,andrehabilitatetheirblackstudents
showstheircomplacencyofthesystem.Teachersarecontentwithmaintainingpoorrelations

withblackstudents,andsatisfiedwiththedemiseoftheblackpopulationinschool.

TheAntiblackSchoolDynamic

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

Thegrowingpopulationofschools

TheschoolsinAmericaarebeingoverstuffedwithstudentsthattheoverallsystemdoesnot

accountnorcarefor.Schoolsarebecomingadumpinggroundwherestudentsheldinaholding

tank.Thepopulationincreaseinschoolshasbeentoughtomanageforsomeindividualschools.

Manyschoolsarethencomplacentwiththemasssuspendingandexpulsionofblackstudentsto

allowformorespaceintheschool.Schoolsthatcannotmanagetheirpopulationincreaseare

thenforcedtorationouttheirevermostvaluableresources.Whiteclassroomsarenotonlygiven

prioritybutarethebeneficiaryofthisrationingastheyreceivetheprivilegeofthebetterclass

materials.Thatleavestheblackstudents,theoneswhohaventbeenenslavedinthesystemof

suspension,withasubpareducationincomparisontotheirwhitecounterparts(TheEvolutionof

theAmericanPublicHighSchool).

SchoolAdministrators

SchoolAdministratorsexistatthetopoftherealminsidetheschool.Withtheonlyoversight

beingthewhitesuperpowersthatgivetheadministratorsthefreedomtocarryoutthepolicies

meanttocrippleblackstudents.SchoolAdministratorscarryaroundastigmaofbeingharshand

strictandthatanencounterwiththemwillresultinanegativeconsequence.Forblackstudents

facingtheprincipalisfacingthejudgeforthefirsttime.Principalsusetheirimplicitbiasto

strikeblackstudentswithharsherpunishments,andgivethemasetpathwaytotheSchoolto
PrisonPipeline.Administratorsareessentiallyforcedtosuspendorexpelstudentsduetothefact

whitesuperpowershavecutofftheirsupplyofresourcesmeanttohelpblack

students(WashingtonPost).

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

EffectsoftheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

Prison

Studentscaughtintheschooltoprisonpipelinearethrownintoaharshrealityoncetheyleave

publicschoolforthefirsttime.Thesestudentshadtheirpotentialforsuccessstolenfromthem,

anddreamsofabetterliferippedfromtheirminds.Theirschoolsfailedtogivethemanadequate

educationbut,theschoolssucceededintheirmissiontoleaveblackstudentscompletelyhelpless

intheoutsideworld.Blackstudentswithnoeducationorpotentialforapostsecondary

educationaregivenlittleoptionstosupportthemselvesandtheirfamily.Thereforealifeof

crimebecomesveryappealing.Blackstudentsseetheonlywayoflifeasjoiningagang,selling

drugs,orfindingwaystostealforprofit.WhilewhiteAmericaisviewsthisbehaviorasvileand

appallingtheyseeblacksonlyforthecrimeandnotwhatcausedit.Blackstudentsthenbecome

trappedintoalifeofcrimethatthenleadsthemfromwearingmetaphoricalshacklestorealones.

Theyareplacedbehindbarsandhaveenteredacycleofimprisonmentthatisnotmeantforthem

toescape.Beingsuspendedinschoolmadeblackstudentscomfortablefrombeingisolatedfrom

thepopulationandthereforefeelsafeoperatinginaprisonthatisolatesthemfromapopulation

thatdoesnotcareforthemandcriminalizestheirculture(Amurao2016).

SchoolBecomesPrison
Schoolsystems,afterthefocusonzerotoleranceandthecriminalizationofblackstudents,have

ledtheirschoolstobecomestructuredasaprison.Studentsareheldinsideoftheschoolwithout

anopportunitytoleave,allvisitorsmusthaveapassandidtoenter,officersandguardslinethe

hallways,andstudentscreatesocietalnormsandrulestofollowamongstthemselves.This

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

structuringoftheschoolsystemexistbecauseschoolsarenoteducatingbutcriminalizing.

Schoolrhetoricispointedatdisciplingstudentsforminorinfractionsasopposedtopromoting

theexpressionofculture,allowingstudentstothinkcritically,andnurturingallstudentsto

becomesuccessfulinAmerica.However,thelensehasnarrowed,schoolsareteachingstudents

tobecomesuccessfulinwhiteAmericaandpunishtheexpressionofculture,anddestroy

student'spotentialforsuccess.Inturn,schoolhasbeenstructuredlikeaprisonaftertheincrease

ofsuspensionsandcriminalizationtoensuretheprotectionofwhiteness(TheEvolutionofthe

AmericanPublicHighSchool).

Poverty

Multiplesuspensionsandlackofacademicgoodstandinginschoolleadsblackstudents

entrappedinacycleofpovertyandfinancialdestructiontheschoolsbroughtuponthem.With

collegesrefusingtoacceptthesestudentseitherfortheirpooracademicperformance(dueto

deportationfromtheclassroom)orbecauseoftheirdisciplinaryrecordtheireducational

opportunitiesarenonexistent.Therefore,blackstudentsbecomecontentwithlowlevelmanual

laborjobs.Thesejobsarepayingminimumwageandrarelydevelopintocareers.Thisforces

formerstudentstorelyongovernmentassistanceandpotentialillegalcrimestomaintain

financialstability(Lyons2005).
SuspensionsCriminalizetheStudentsMind

BlackstudentswhopassthroughtheAmericanSchoolsystemthatcriminalizestheirculture

acceptandcometoperceivethemselvesascriminals.Afterroutinelashingsfromtheirteachers

theyareforcedtoseetheiridentityascriminales.Whenblackstudentsseethedestructionof

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

theirculturetheywouldratherbethemselvesthentoconformtowhiteness.Thiscausesblack

studentstoaccepttheircriminalizationandactaswhiteamericawantsthemto,andendupself

destructing(KirwanInstitute).

IncreasedDiscrimination

Thecontinuousdisplacementandmarginalizationofblackstudentshaslonglastingeffectsfor

thestrengtheningofracismandimplicitbiasinAmerica.Whentheschoolsystemonly

incarceratesblackstudents,andonlyplacesshacklesaroundblackstudentssocietycomestothe

immediateconclusionthatblackstudentsarenotassuccessfulastheircounterparts.Society

wearsthecloakofwhiteignoranceandchoosestoignorethecausesofthedegradationofblack

students,theyarequicktopointoutthefailureofblackstudentsinsociety.Whiteignorance

blamestheblackpopulationfortheactsofthewhitesuperpowers(Wilderson2010).Theschool

systemsstampsatattooacrosstheforeheadoftheirblackstudents;bycontinuousincarceration

ofblackstudentssocietyisabletodeterminetheblackstudentpopulationasviolentandunruly,

insteadof21stcenturyscholars(KirwanInstitute).

LegalRamificationsofSchoolSuspension

SupremeCourtCases
TheSupremeCourtCaseofGossv.Lopezwasabletosetinplaceasafeguardforblackstudents

facingincarcerationinschool.AfterninestudentsinOhioweresuspendedbytheirprincipal

withoutahearingthequestionofiftheirrightswereviolatedwassparked.Witha54decision

theSupremeCourtruledthatstudentsfacingasuspensionof10daysorexpulsionshould

receiveahearing.However,theprotectionsarelimitedforblackstudentsbecausetheprincipal

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

willpunishblacksmoreduetotheirantiblacknessandimplicitbias(DukeUniversityLaw

Review)

Careyv.Phipus

TheSupremeCourtCaseofCareyv.Phipuswasabletosetmultipleprecedentsthatassistin

breakingdownthestrengthofAntiblackness.Ahighschoolstudentwassuspendedforsmoking

marijuanaonschoolpropertyandtheusualsentenceofa20daysuspension.Althoughthe

reasoningforthesuspensionwasjustifiedbyschoolpolicy,therewasneverahearingonifthe

studentwasactuallysmoking.TheSupremeCourtruledthenthatstudentsaregranteddue

processinsideoftheirschoolsandhavetobeprovenguiltybeforereceivingpunishmentsbya

schoolofficial.Thiscasenotonlydeterminedthatdueprocessisarightgiventostudentsbut

alsostudentsareprotectedbytheequalprotectionclauseinthe14thAmendment.Thesearealso

falseprotectionsgivenbythegovernmenttoblackstudents.Dueprocessisnotaprotectionfor

blackstudentsastheirskincoloristhedeterminantoftheirinnocence.TheEqualProtection

clauseisalsoanotherfalsepromisethatthegovernmentgavetoblackstudentsastheirschools:

areunderfunded,theyareenslaved,punisheddisproportionalitycomparedtotheirwhite
counterparts.Whitesuperpowersareabletoignoretheperceivedlawoftheland,and

superimposetheirlawoftheland,antiblackness(BloombergLaw).

PotentialSolutions

Thestrengthoftheschooltoprisonpipelineisonethatisstrongenoughenoughtoshakethe

successofanentirerace.Schoolshavebeenlacedwithdiscrimination,racism,andmistreatment

ofminoritystudent.TheAmericanschoolsystemhadbeenstructuredtoplaceaceilingover

TheSchooltoPrisonPipeline

blackpotentialandplaceankleweightsonblackstudentsrunningtocatchtheirwhite

counterparts.Thebondsofracismareonesthatwhitesuperpowersattempttomakeeverlasting.

TheschooltoprisonpipelineisonethatcouldpotentiallybecurvediftheAmericanSchool

systemsdiversifiedtheirstaffs,allowedminoritystudentstocontributetodisciplinestandards,

placeanemphasisonstudentteacherrelations,anddonotpunishstudentsforminorinfractions.

Untilwhitesuperpowerslosetheircontroloverthesystem,orarevolutioniswidespreadinthe

heartsofwhiteteachers,theAmericanSchoolsystemisanotherwebofracismthatexiststo

catchandfeeduponblacks(Holcomb2016).

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