LAUSD students demand dignity in schools
Ariel Edwards Levy | 5-27-2010 | Comments |
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Click here to hear why some speakers think respect matters:South L.A. schools should be gateways to graduation, not prison, members of L.A.'s Dignity in Schools campaign told school district board members Tuesday.
Students, parents and activists trekked down to the LAUSD board meeting to protest zero tolerance measures, suspensions and truancy tickets - programs that they say penalize students rather than helping them to learn.
Jose Solis can still remember his frustration at being punished for situations beyond his control.
“When I used to go to Crenshaw High School, I used to get truancy tickets," said Solis, now an organizer for the Youth Justice Coalition. "The cops never asked me why I was late. Well, the reason was because the bus was too packed, so the bus driver didn’t want to stop. So I used to walk almost 20 blocks, and then I would get tickets because the cops were waiting for me at the front entrance of the school."
Such stories are part of a larger problem - a lack of respect for students - said Eddie Madison, a member of the South L.A. parent group CADRE.
"If the policies and the practices of every school were student-centered and geared to fulfill their human rights, our children would not be labeled, tracked, pushed out as criminals," he said.
The speakers also called for more positive support for students, such as bringing in gang intervention specialists instead of police officers to work with troubled teens.
"LA students are still going through the same experience as me, before I had the help of gang intervention workers and a supportive school that never gives up on students," Solis said. "It is always good to have someone that will not give up on you. No matter how many mistakes we make, eventually, we learn from our mistakes."
Policies that encourage instead of punish students would benefit the city in the long run, Madison said.
“A school to dignity track in South L.A. with 100 percent graduation costs a lot less than school to prison track with a 50 percent drop out," he said. "We’re urging LAUSD to bring dignity into our schools. It’s going to take respect for our children’s dignity, not by pushing and trying to get rid of them. That’s how we’re going to change our worst schools around.”
Board member Steve Zimmer thanked the students for taking the time to attend.
“It’s always important for us to hear from students, from young people, from our future," he said. "Please know that we are listening. Please know that even though we might not always agree on everything, that this board is very concerned about these issues."