THE LAST WORD 08-03-15

THE LAST WORD

A recent study showed that race is one factor that overwhelmingly determines whether a misbehaving child sees a doctor or the inside of a jail cell. Black kids are more likely than white children to face suspension, expulsion or punishment by law enforcement for “bad behavior.” Josie Pickens, the parent of a black preschooler, notes that she has seen this process in action first hand, but says the problem is much larger than her experience. When children enter the judicial system at a young age, they tend to stick around through adulthood. This “school-to-prison pipeline” is ground zero for the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and addressing these systemic issues long before “problem children” become adults is a major step in addressing the racial tension plaguing America today.

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