Ask the students to briefly describe what’s happening in this picture in a couple sentences
Ask the students to write down what comes to mind when they see this picture
How many students noticed the similarities between the schools and prison systems? Granted not all schools are operated like a prison, but the similarities are shocking. For example, cameras, armed security guards, harsh disciplines and a fenced-off environment. With this atmosphere, what messages are we sending to the students?
The U.S. is supposed to be a world power, but how long will it continue its dominance if its locking up its future leaders? According to The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander, The U.S. has a higher incarceration rate than Russia, China, and Iran.
Explain to the students the effects of the school-to-prison pipeline. What its really costing the nation. 20% of Juveniles do not get their diploma. Some students act inappropriately, because they are looking for a sense of support. They may be neglected, abused or their parents are not around to offer the support they seek. The cutbacks in education exacerbates the issue when counselors are not available to help these students in need. Students cannot get a decent education when they are worried about being arrested. Once arrested and entered in the system, it becomes extremely difficult to obtain a job and be an independent provider.
The government utilizes the prison institution as a way of social control, and as a result the severity of the punishment is often unrelated to the crime. A big issue facing many schools that implement the "Zero Tolerance Act."
School and police began to intertwine when "Zero Tolerance" policies were enforced. Districts contracted armed officers from their local police stations to patrol the children and schools.
After 1994, the government started defunding education programs & built more prisons
Explain to the students the effects of the school-to-prison pipeline. What its really costing the nation. 20% of Juveniles do not get their diploma. Some students act inappropriately, because they are looking for a sense of support. They may be neglected, abused or their parents are not around to offer the support they seek. The cutbacks in education exacerbates the issue when counselors are not available to help these students in need. Students cannot get a decent education when they are worried about being arrested. Once arrested and entered in the system, it becomes extremely difficult to obtain a job and be an independent provider.
The government utilizes the prison institution as a way of social control, and as a result the severity of the punishment is often unrelated to the crime. A big issue facing many schools that implement the "Zero Tolerance Act."
School and police began to intertwine when "Zero Tolerance" policies were enforced. Districts contracted armed officers from their local police stations to patrol the children and schools.
After 1994, the government started defunding education programs & built more prisons
ACTIVITY
#FundTheRightSystem #HandOutBooksNotLifeSentences
#EducateTheLeadersOfTomorrow
Come up with your own hashtags now and explain the solutions behind them. For example, #FundtheRightSystem, means the government should stop pouring more money into the prisons than they are in public education. Education can help an individual improve the quality of their life, while an ex-prisoner experiences certain discriminations limiting their upward mobility. The government should be focus on helping its citizens succeed not try and hold them back. Funding education is a step in the right direction.
*note to instructor using lesson plan
The idea behind showing students different types of pictures and artwork is to give them a new perspective of the information. In addition to the lecture, the pictures and the activities within will help students retain the information. By having them describe the pictures they see, by listing the similarities between the two types of institutions and showing them how society is effected by the "Zero Tolerance Policy" makes it relevant information for the students. The idea of the hashtag is simply to connect to the social media that is so prominent in today's world. This challenge them to think of solutions to the problem but also help them be creative and precise to get their point across.
*note to instructor using lesson plan
The idea behind showing students different types of pictures and artwork is to give them a new perspective of the information. In addition to the lecture, the pictures and the activities within will help students retain the information. By having them describe the pictures they see, by listing the similarities between the two types of institutions and showing them how society is effected by the "Zero Tolerance Policy" makes it relevant information for the students. The idea of the hashtag is simply to connect to the social media that is so prominent in today's world. This challenge them to think of solutions to the problem but also help them be creative and precise to get their point across.
Homework:
Homework Assignment:
Write a letter to your congressman about the zero tolerance policy and why or why not it should be abolished? Be sure to include statistical evidence and reasoning to your explanation.
Homework Assignment:
Write a letter to your congressman about the zero tolerance policy and why or why not it should be abolished? Be sure to include statistical evidence and reasoning to your explanation.
