LATEST UPDATES
We believe we can move towards a fairer New York and help students return to school with a fighting chance.
Please read our latest updates below:
Senate hearings
Letter to Gov. Hochul and Lieutenant Gov. Benjamin
Police-Free Schools Statement
Letter to Cuomo re: school discipline
Solutions Not Suspensions coalition letter
Statement in Response to NYSED Guidance:
NYSED's guidance does not go far enough to discourage punitive and exclusionary discipline. While we appreciate the promotion of restorative practices, we need to ensure that students, especially students of color, do not miss one more day of instruction. Before this pandemic, students lost hundreds of thousands of days in the classroom each year because of suspensions, often for normal youthful behavior. With the added emphasis on minimizing the spread of COVID-19 through mask-wearing and social distancing measures, we are concerned that schools will use suspensions as a default way to comply with health guidance and manage the anxiety of this pandemic. This response will compound the long-term traumatic impact of the COVID-19 health pandemic on students and school communities. These punishments will disproportionately harm those already hurt the most by draconian discipline and the COVID-19 pandemic -- students with disabilities, those from low-income households, and students of color.
We are calling on New York State to issue a moratorium on suspensions for the 2020-2021 school year to ensure every child has the best possible chance to make up for this year’s lost classroom time and for schools to reopen in a manner that promotes equity and healing. If you represent an organization that would like to join this call, please sign our letter.
End barriers to education.
The challenges faced by students across the State as they transition to remote instruction are magnified for those already hurt the most by draconian discipline--students with disabilities, those from low-income households, and students of color.
Stop all suspensions.
End all new and pending suspensions immediately. We call for a moratorium on new suspensions during periods of remote learning. Students experiencing stress and trauma need support now more than ever.
There is no value in postponing suspensions to a later date or to next school year, only extended harm.
Take immediate action.
Many of the students we represent have already missed a great deal of instruction and class time due to suspensions, and are now missing in-classroom instruction because of the pandemic. Take immediate steps to compel all districts to promote equity and togetherness in their handling of school discipline and student mental and behavioral health.